Global Outcry as Israeli Airstrike Kills Prominent Al Jazeera Journalist and Colleagues in Gaza
Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif, 28, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday along with several of his colleagues.
GAZA CITY – An Israeli airstrike killed prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif and at least five other journalists on Sunday, an act the media network has condemned as a “targeted assassination.” The strike, which hit a tent clearly marked with a ‘Press’ sign near the Al-Shifa Hospital, has triggered widespread international condemnation and intensified calls for an independent investigation into what has become the deadliest conflict for journalists on record.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it targeted the 28-year-old Al-Sharif, accusing him of leading a Hamas cell responsible for rocket attacks. This claim, which Al-Sharif had publicly and repeatedly denied, has been met with significant skepticism from press freedom organizations, who point to a “longstanding, documented pattern” by Israel of accusing journalists of terrorism without providing credible evidence. The incident raises profound questions about the safety of the press and accountability in the ongoing war.
Anas Al-Sharif had become the “face of the Gaza story for millions” with his daily, unflinching coverage of the war’s humanitarian toll, particularly the harrowing starvation ravaging the region. A former cameraman who joined Al Jazeera in December 2023, his own father was killed in an Israeli airstrike shortly after he began reporting for the network. He had previously stated that the Israeli military sent him warnings to stop his work, with his reporting location being struck just minutes later.
The IDF stated it had “unequivocal proof” of Al-Sharif’s ties to Hamas, publishing pictures of him with the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. However, the BBC noted it has seen no evidence of Al-Sharif’s involvement in the current war or active Hamas membership. In a statement last month, Al-Sharif declared, “My only mission is to report the truth from the ground – as it is, without bias.”
Al Jazeera Media Network called the killing a “desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.” The sentiment was echoed by numerous international bodies. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an independent investigation, while the UN’s human rights office described the actions as a “grave breach of international humanitarian law.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said it was “appalled” by the killings and that Israel’s pattern of accusations “raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom.” The war in Gaza has been exceptionally deadly for media workers. The CPJ reports that 192 journalists have been killed since the war began nearly two years ago, with 184 of them being Palestinians killed by Israeli forces.
Killed alongside Al-Sharif were his Al Jazeera colleagues Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Al Thaher, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammed Noufal, as well as local freelance reporter Mohammad al-Khaldi. At least one other person was killed in the strike.
The attack comes at a time when Israel has severely restricted international media access to Gaza, making local reporters like Al-Sharif essential for independent coverage of the conflict. The Palestinian Mission to the UN accused Israel of “deliberately assassinating” journalists who “systematically and dutifully exposed and documented Israel’s genocide and starvation.”
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, condemned the strike as a “war crime” and a “brazen targeted killing,” respectively. The widespread international outcry underscores the immense peril faced by journalists in the conflict zone and the growing pressure on Israel to ensure their safety and provide accountability for their deaths. In a will he had prepared, Al-Sharif urged the world not to forget Gaza.
