Five Al Jazeera journalists, including prominent reporter Anas al-Sharif, were killed on Sunday in an Israeli air strike near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the network has confirmed.
According to Al Jazeera, al-Sharif, correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa were inside a tent for journalists at the hospital’s main gate when it was hit. The broadcaster described the incident as a “targeted assassination” and “a blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom.”
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged targeting al-Sharif, alleging he led a Hamas terrorist cell and coordinated rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and troops. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the attack, accusing Israel of failing to provide evidence to support its claims.
Al Jazeera’s managing editor, Mohamed Moawad, told the BBC that al-Sharif was a credentialed reporter who served as “the only voice” from inside Gaza, as foreign journalists have been barred from entering the territory. He said the reporters were not near the front line when targeted.
Al-Sharif, 28, had been posting updates on X shortly before his death, warning of heavy bombardment in Gaza City. BBC-verified videos from the aftermath showed bodies being carried away, with witnesses identifying both al-Sharif and Qreiqeh. Seven people were killed in total.
Last month, the UN, CPJ, and Al Jazeera had publicly warned that al-Sharif’s life was at risk. The IDF has previously accused several slain Al Jazeera journalists of Hamas affiliation, claims the network has rejected.
The CPJ says 186 journalists have been killed in Gaza since Israel’s offensive began following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza reports more than 61,000 deaths in the enclave since then.
