The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor AFP reporter Christina Assi at its International Press Freedom Awards on November 19 in New York after she lost a leg in an October 2023 strike near the Israel-Lebanon border. An independent AFP probe concluded two Israeli 120mm tank shells fired from the Jordeikh area struck the journalists; Reuters' Issam Abdallah was killed in the incident. Multiple international investigations corroborated AFP's findings, and the CPJ said no one has been held accountable nearly three years later.
AFP Reporter Christina Assi To Be Honored At CPJ International Press Freedom Awards After Losing Leg In Border Strike
AFP journalist Christina Assi had her right leg amputated after being hit by an Israeli tank shell while covering cross border clashes in southern Lebanon in October 2023 (LOU BENOIST)
AFP reporter Christina Assi, who lost a leg after being struck while reporting near the Lebanon-Israel border, will be honored at the Committee to Protect Journalists' (CPJ) International Press Freedom Awards on November 19 in New York, the organization announced Wednesday.
The injuries stem from an October 2023 incident in which Reuters journalist Issam Abdallah was killed and six other journalists were wounded while covering clashes near the Israel-Lebanon border. AFP journalists Assi and Dylan Collins were among the wounded.
An independent AFP investigation concluded that two Israeli 120mm tank shells fired from the Jordeikh area inside Israel struck the group of journalists. AFP's findings have been corroborated by multiple international probes, including inquiries by Reuters, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders.
The CPJ noted the absence of accountability: "Despite being the most well-documented attack on journalists by Israel on record, nearly three years on, no one has been held accountable," the organization said as it unveiled the list of honorees.
Assi's Advocacy
Since the attack, Assi has campaigned for justice for Abdallah's death, pushed for stronger protections for reporters working in conflict zones, and supported rehabilitation programs for people living with similar life-changing injuries.
Other Honorees
Assi will be recognized alongside several other journalists, including:
- Szabolcs Panyi (Hungary) — noted for investigations into political power and former Prime Minister Viktor Orban;
- Estefany Rodriguez (Colombia) — detained by U.S. immigration officers while reporting on assignment in March;
- Sai Zaw Thaike (Myanmar) — a photojournalist with Myanmar Now arrested in 2023 while documenting the aftermath of Cyclone Mocha.
Additionally, Salvadoran journalist Carlos Dada, co-founder of El Faro — Central America’s first digital newspaper — will receive the 2026 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award.
“This year's awardees exemplify the determination and courage of journalists worldwide,” said CPJ Chief Executive Jodie Ginsberg. “They have endured targeting, imprisonment, exile, and surveillance for simply reporting the news. It is an honor to recognize their commitment to documenting the truth.”
The CPJ awards highlight the risks faced by journalists covering conflict and corruption and emphasize the need for greater protections and accountability when reporters are harmed while doing their work.
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