Israeli Airstrike Kills Seven Al Jazeera Journalists in Gaza
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have admitted to targeting Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera journalist, claiming he led a “Hamas terrorist cell.” The attack, which occurred on Sunday evening, resulted in the deaths of seven Al Jazeera staff members, including al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and cameraman Moamen Aliwa. Al Jazeera denied the IDF’s allegations, calling them part of a ‘campaign of incitement.’ The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) condemned the attack, stating that Israel provided ‘no evidence’ to support its claims that al-Sharif was a Hamas member.
Since Israel’s war on Hamas began in October 2023, at least 237 journalists have been killed, according to the Government Media Office in Gaza, with Al Jazeera alone losing 10 staff members. The IDF’s military acknowledged it had targeted al-Sharif, claiming he was the head of a Hamas ‘terrorist cell’ operating under the guise of a reporter.
Al Jazeera’s director of Al-Shifa Hospital reported that the IDF is likely to have targeted the tent directly. Hani Mahmoud, an Al Jazeera reporter who was just a block away at the time, described hearing a massive explosion near the hospital. “I saw the sky light up, and soon after, news spread that it was the journalist camp at the hospital’s main gate,” he wrote, adding that the drone strike hit after things had “quieted down” and journalists had gathered in one place.
The CPJ’s chief executive, Jodie Ginsberg, emphasized the troubling pattern of attacks on journalists by Israeli forces, noting, “This is part of a pattern we have seen from Israel… going back decades, in which it kills journalists.” The organization’s condemnation echoes concerns raised by international media outlets and human rights groups regarding the safety of journalists in conflict zones.