health
Israeli attack kills famed turtle sanctuary ecologist in Lebanon
Mona Khalil led decades-long effort to protect nesting site for turtles near her home in south of the country
TL;DR
- Mona Khalil, a 76-year-old Lebanese marine activist, died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike.
- She founded and ran the Orange House Project, a sanctuary dedicated to protecting turtle nesting sites near Tyre.
- Khalil's work involved hosting volunteers, monitoring a mile-long beach, and educating tourists about conservation.
- Her sanctuary was located on land that had been repeatedly invaded and occupied by Israel.
- Khalil returned to Lebanon in 1999 and established the project after a chance encounter with a nesting turtle.
- She faced opposition from local developers and fishers who used dynamite fishing, a practice she fought against.
- Her house was previously hit by Israeli bombardment during the 2006 war.
- The Lebanese wildlife conservation group Green Southerners and Live Love Beirut mourned her loss, praising her dedication and impact on environmental awareness.