A Lebanese Hezbollah rescuer holds a bulletproof vest that belonged to one of the Al Mayadeen journalists killed in an Israeli bombardment of Tair Harfa, Lebanon, on Nov. 21, 2023. Photo by Kawnat Haju/AFP via Getty Images

By Beth Harpaz November 21, 2023

A young Lebanese TV reporter and her cameraman on Tuesday became the latest journalists killed in the Israel-Gaza war, bringing the total number of media workers who have died in the conflict to 53, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.

More journalists have died in the past six weeks covering this war than at any other time since CPJ began tracking the numbers more than 30 years ago, the organization said.

Correspondent Farah Omar and cameraman Rabih Me’mari were killed by an Israeli strike in Tair Harfa in southern Lebanon while reporting on military activity on the border with Israel. They worked for Al Mayadeen, described by The Associated Press as a Beirut-based, pan-Arab channel allied with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

In a post on the social media platform X, Al Mayadeen accused Israel of “deliberately” targeting the pair, saying they were “martyred” right after ending a live broadcast. 

Omar, 25, who held a master’s degree in journalism from Lebanese University, joined Al Mayadeen in 2021. Me’mari, 44, had worked for the station since 2012 and leaves behind a wife, Manal Jaafar, who also works for Al Mayadeen, and two children, ages 4 and 2. 

This was the last report this morning by Farah Omar, a reporter for the Al-Mayadeen TV, before she was killed by an Israeli artillery bombardment while reporting from the village of Tayr Harfa in southern Lebanon. pic.twitter.com/osr8WHS872

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) November 21, 2023

CPJ counts 46 Palestinians, four Israelis and three Lebanese — including Omar and Me’mari — among the 53 journalists who have died covering the war that began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in Israel. In addition, 11 journalists have been injured, three are missing, and 18 have been arrested, CPJ said. Most of the arrests were carried out by Israeli soldiers raiding Palestinian journalists’ homes in the West Bank.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount