Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, 28, was killed along with four of his colleagues in what the network calls a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists near al-Shifa Hospital late Sunday.
The strike killed seven people in total, including Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. The tent, located outside the hospital’s main gate, had been used by press crews covering the war.
Shortly before his death, al-Sharif posted on social media about Israel’s “fire belt” bombardments on eastern and southern Gaza City. In his final pre-written message, released posthumously, he vowed that he had “never hesitated to convey the truth” despite constant grief and loss.
Al Jazeera calls it an ‘assassination’
In a statement, Al Jazeera Media Network accused Israel of a “blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom” aimed at silencing voices documenting “the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.” The network urged the international community to act against what it called an “ongoing genocide” and the deliberate targeting of journalists.
Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud, who was nearby when the missile struck, said the reporters were killed “because of their relentless reporting on starvation, famine, and malnutrition in Gaza.”
Israel alleges Hamas links — rights groups dispute claims
The Israeli military alleged al-Sharif led a Hamas cell involved in rocket attacks, claiming it had “unequivocal proof” of his involvement. Rights monitors, including Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, rejected the accusation, saying there is “zero evidence” he engaged in hostilities.
The UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, had previously warned that Israeli threats against al-Sharif were putting his life at risk, calling the allegations part of a wider pattern of unsubstantiated claims used to justify attacks on journalists.
Since October 2023, more than 200 reporters and media workers have been killed in Gaza, including several Al Jazeera staff members and their relatives, according to press freedom groups.
