Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: At least five journalists of Al Jazeera were killed in Gaza in fresh Israeli military strikes on Sunday, the media reported.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed it, saying it struck Al Jazeera’s reporter Anas al-Sharif, and claimed he was a “terrorist posing as a journalist.”
Israel launched a targeted attack on a tent for the press outside al-Shifa Hospital’s main gate, killing seven people. They included Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, as well as cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammed Noufal, the broadcaster said.
In a statement, Israel admitted targeting Anas al-Sharif, claiming the reporter was a “terrorist,” who “served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas.”
Moments before his death, Al-Sharif appeared to be posting on X, reporting intensified Israeli bombardment in Gaza City. A post, which appeared pre-written and posted by a friend, was published from his account after he was reported dead.
“If these words of mine reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice,” it read.
The attack was the latest to see journalists targeted in the 22-month war in Gaza, with around 200 media workers killed during the conflict.
The Gaza War started on October 7, 2023, when Hamas invaded Southern Israel, massacred some 1,200 people, and carried nearly 150 others as hostages to Gaza Strip. In its retaliatory war, Israel has killed around 58,000 Palestinians so far, displaced around two million people, and levelled major parts of Gaza Strip.
“Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City,” the Qatar-based broadcaster said.
“Al-Sharif, 28, was killed on Sunday after a tent for journalists outside the main gate of the hospital was hit. The well-known Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent reported extensively from northern Gaza.”
The IDF confirmed it. “A short while ago, in Gaza City, the IDF struck the terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as a journalist for the Al Jazeera network,” it said on Telegram.
“Anas Al-Sharif served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organisation and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” it added.
Al-Sharif was one of the channel’s most recognisable faces working on the ground in Gaza, providing daily reports in regular coverage.
After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended a new offensive in Gaza, al-Sharif on Sunday posted messages on X describing “intense, concentrated Israeli bombardment” on Gaza City. One of his final messages included a short video showing nearby Israeli strikes hitting Gaza City.
In July, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for his protection, accusing the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee of stepping up online attacks on the reporter by alleging that he was a Hamas terrorist.
After the attack, it said it was “appalled” to learn of the journalists’ deaths.
“Israel’s pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah.
“Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable.”
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate also condemned what it described as a “bloody crime” of assassination.
Israel and Al Jazeera have had a contentious relationship for years, with Israeli authorities banning the channel in the country and raiding its offices during the latest war in Gaza.
Qatar, which partly funds Al Jazeera, has hosted an office for the Hamas political leadership for years and been a frequent venue for indirect talks between Israel and the group.