Al Jazeera said Anas al-Sharif had spent much of his time covering events in northern Gaza. BBC
Five Al Jazeera journalists died in an Israeli air strike near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The attack happened on Sunday while they were in a tent for reporters set up at the hospital’s main gate.
Those killed were correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. Al Jazeera called the incident a “targeted assassination” and an attack on press freedom.
Israel’s Statement on the Strike
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later said they had targeted Anas al-Sharif. They accused him of leading a Hamas militant cell. The IDF did not mention the other journalists killed.
Al Jazeera said al-Sharif was an accredited reporter who had been sharing vital information from Gaza. His work was seen as one of the few direct links for the world to understand the situation inside the war-torn territory.
Coverage from Inside Gaza
Israel has blocked international journalists from entering Gaza. This has left many global news outlets relying on local reporters like al-Sharif for coverage.
Al Jazeera’s managing editor, Mohamed Moawad, said the journalists were not at the front line when attacked. He accused Israel of trying to silence reporting from inside Gaza.
Final Moments
Al-Sharif, 28, posted online about heavy bombing shortly before his death. Afterward, videos showed people carrying the bodies of the victims. Witnesses could be heard identifying Qreiqeh and al-Sharif.
The tent where they worked was destroyed, leaving only its poles standing amid debris and damaged vehicles.
Ongoing Disputes Over Journalist Killings
The IDF claimed al-Sharif posed as a journalist while being involved in military operations, citing intelligence of his ties to Hamas. Last month, several groups, including the United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), warned that his life was in danger.
The CPJ’s chief executive, Jodie Ginsberg, said Israel often kills journalists and later claims they are militants without offering proof.
This is not the first time Al Jazeera staff have been killed in Gaza. In 2024, reporter Ismael Al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Rifi died in similar strikes, which Al Jazeera also rejected as legitimate military actions.
Wider Impact on Journalists
The CPJ says 186 journalists have died since Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in October 2023. Those still reporting face extreme risks, including air strikes and starvation.
Many reporters in Gaza say they cannot get enough food, with some collapsing from hunger. Aid groups warn of mass starvation, but Israel has accused them of supporting Hamas propaganda.
The war began after Hamas attacked southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking over 250 hostage. Since then, more than 61,000 people in Gaza have died, according to local health authorities.
