Environmental activists and conservation groups are reeling from the death of Mona Khalil, a pioneering Lebanese advocate who passed away following injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike. Khalil, who was in her late seventies, was critically wounded on June 4 when her home in the village of Mansouri was hit. For over two decades, she was a fixture of the southern coastline, transforming her property into the "Orange House Project." This initiative became a sanctuary for endangered green and loggerhead sea turtles, successfully fostering a culture of conservation and eco-tourism that drew visitors from across the region.

Organizations like Greenpeace and the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon have hailed Khalil as an irreplaceable champion of the environment. Her tireless efforts protected a seven-kilometre stretch of shoreline, which remains one of the country's most vital nesting grounds, hosting dozens of nests annually. Beyond her scientific contributions, Khalil was a symbol of resilience; she remained in her coastal home despite the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Her legacy lives on through the generations of locals she inspired to take collective responsibility for Lebanon’s natural heritage.