In a devastating incident today, five Al Jazeera journalists lost their lives due to an Israeli airstrike near the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Among the deceased was the well-known Arabic correspondent and frontline news reporter Anas al-Sharif, who, alongside his colleague Bisan Owda, had received the prestigious Amnesty International Human Rights Defender Award in December of the previous year. The tragic event also claimed the lives of Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, according to reports from the network.
Al Jazeera issued an official statement condemning “in the strongest terms” the targeted assassination of its correspondents, labeling it as “another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom” by Israeli settlers. The network emphasized that the order to assassinate Anas al-Sharif—described as one of Gaza’s bravest journalists—was a desperate move to silence those revealing the ongoing crisis and occupation in Gaza. Al Jazeera called upon the international community to take decisive actions to halt the ongoing genocide and stop the deliberate targeting of journalists.
Just a month prior to this tragic incident, the Committee to Protect Journalists expressed grave concerns regarding Anas al-Sharif’s safety. The organization reported that al-Sharif was being targeted by an Israeli military smear campaign, which he believed was a precursor to his possible assassination. This concern was echoed by a statement from Amnesty International Australia, highlighting specific worries over false allegations labeling al-Sharif as a “Hamas terrorist.”
The United Nations also voiced its apprehensions regarding the situation. A statement from UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Opinion and Expression, Irene Khan, noted that “online attacks and unfounded accusations” against Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif represent a blatant attempt to endanger his life and silence his important reporting on the genocide occurring in Gaza.
According to multiple media sources, the Israeli military claimed they specifically targeted al-Sharif, alleging that he “served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas” and was responsible for facilitating rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. In the moments leading up to his tragic death, al-Sharif posted a poignant message on social media platform X, stating, “If this madness does not end, Gaza will be reduced to ruins, its people’s voices silenced, their faces erased — and history will remember you as silent witnesses to a genocide you chose not to stop.”
Throughout the ongoing conflict, Israel has restricted international journalists from entering Gaza, significantly hampering their ability to report on the ground. Many media outlets have resorted to collaborating with local reporters or citizen journalists to provide coverage from within Gaza. In May 2024, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration made a controversial decision to shut down Al Jazeera’s offices, further complicating the landscape for press freedom in the region.
