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Uploaded: 23 Jun 2026 (3 months ago) · Shared: 03 Jul 2026
Duration: 10:12
Uploaded: 23 Jun 2026 (3 months ago) · Shared: 03 Jul 2026
Duration: 10:12
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Acclaimed conservationist Mona Khalil was killed by an Israeli strike on her beachside home in the village of al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon. The 76-year-old spent more than 25 years working to protect endangered sea turtles, and her work helped turn a stretch of southern Lebanon's coastline into one of the most important nesting sites for endangered sea turtles in the eastern Mediterranean.
Khalil lived in 'the Orange House' — her grandmother's home, which she helped transform into a refuge for endangered sea turtles, an ecotourism site and a training ground in ecological conservation for a generation of volunteers. 'This is not a project that belongs to me,' she once said. 'It belongs to Lebanon. It belongs to the whole world.'
A refugee of the Lebanese civil war, Khalil returned to Lebanon from the Netherlands in 1999 and began her conservation work after seeing a turtle laying eggs on the beach near her family's seaside home. Since then, Mona rarely left her home and the beach she had spent years protecting.
'Mona was like a symbol of hope, of life and of resistance in south Lebanon, and probably that's one of the reasons she was killed,' says Rami Khashab, a Lebanese herpetologist who worked alongside Khalil. 'They are trying to kill the hope of the Lebanese people.'
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Acclaimed conservationist Mona Khalil was killed by an Israeli strike on her beachside home in the village of al-Mansouri in southern Lebanon. The 76-year-old spent more than 25 years working to protect endangered sea turtles, and her work helped turn a stretch of southern Lebanon's coastline into one of the most important nesting sites for endangered sea turtles in the eastern Mediterranean.
Khalil lived in 'the Orange House' — her grandmother's home, which she helped transform into a refuge for endangered sea turtles, an ecotourism site and a training ground in ecological conservation for a generation of volunteers. 'This is not a project that belongs to me,' she once said. 'It belongs to Lebanon. It belongs to the whole world.'
A refugee of the Lebanese civil war, Khalil returned to Lebanon from the Netherlands in 1999 and began her conservation work after seeing a turtle laying eggs on the beach near her family's seaside home. Since then, Mona rarely left her home and the beach she had spent years protecting.
'Mona was like a symbol of hope, of life and of resistance in south Lebanon, and probably that's one of the reasons she was killed,' says Rami Khashab, a Lebanese herpetologist who worked alongside Khalil. 'They are trying to kill the hope of the Lebanese people.'
Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.
Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest:
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What is Democracy?Democracy, at its core, is a system of government where power ultimately resides in the people, who elect their representatives or participate directly in decision-making. It's often characterized by free and fair elections, protection of individual rights, and the rule of law. Democracy also implies accountability, meaning that elected officials are held responsible for their actions and decisions.
What is Israel?Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Middle East. Located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea. It has land borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan on the east, the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza Strip to the east and west, respectively, and Egypt to the southwest.
Who are ONS?The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the official national statistical institute of the United Kingdom.
