Lebanese Journalist Christina Assi Honors Fallen Colleagues by Carrying Olympic Torch in France

**Lebanese Photojournalist Honors Fallen Colleagues by Carrying Olympic Torch in Paris** In a poignant display of resilience and remembrance, Lebanese photojournalist Christina Assi, who was severely injured in an Israeli strike, carried the Olympic torch in Paris to honor journalists who have been killed or injured in conflict. Assi, a member of Agence France-Presse (AFP), was among six journalists wounded on October 13 while covering clashes between Israeli forces and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border. Accompanied by fellow AFP videographer Dylan Collins, who also sustained injuries in the attack, Assi participated in the torch relay in the Paris suburb of Vincennes. The Olympic torch relay, which began in May, features 10,000 individuals from diverse backgrounds carrying the flame across France ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony on July 26. Reflecting on her experience, Assi expressed her wish that her late colleague, Issam, could have witnessed the moment, lamenting that it was overshadowed by the violence they faced. She emphasized the need for journalists to work in safety, stating, "I wish I could have honored journalists this way while walking and in my best health." The incident that injured Assi and her colleagues has drawn criticism, with AFP, Reuters, and Al Jazeera accusing Israel of deliberately targeting journalists, who were clearly marked as press. The Israeli military has stated that the incident is under review and denied targeting journalists. Assi hopes her participation in the relay will raise awareness about the protection of journalists in conflict zones. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports that at least 108 journalists have been killed since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, with the majority of casualties occurring in the Gaza Strip.