Al Jazeera Condemns “Targeted Assassination” of Reporters in Gaza

Israeli air strikes near the main gate of Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital claimed seven lives, including five Al Jazeera journalists, late Sunday evening.

Among the dead was prominent reporter Anas al-Sharif, alongside correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa.

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed al-Sharif was targeted, alleging that he “was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell”. Al Jazeera, however, condemned the incident as a “targeted assassination” and “a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.”

Al-Sharif’s death comes just over a year after Israeli strikes destroyed his family home in the Jabalia refugee camp, killing his 65-year-old father. Before his death, he had voiced fears for his safety, accusing the Israeli military of a campaign against him.

In a final message written on April 6, to be released in the event of his death, al-Sharif said he “lived the pain in all its details” and “tasted grief and loss repeatedly”. He expressed sorrow for leaving his wife, Bayan, behind and for not seeing his son, Salah, and daughter, Sham, grow up.

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The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the attack, saying: “Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable.” It added that Israel had failed to provide evidence to support its allegations against al-Sharif.

Since the war began in October 2023, CPJ reports that 186 journalists have been killed, including at least 178 Palestinians.