
Funerals held for five Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli airstrike near Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital. Image credit: BBC
(The Post News)- Funerals are underway for five Al Jazeera journalists, including prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, who were killed in a targeted Israeli airstrike on a media tent near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The strike also claimed two additional lives, bringing the total fatalities to seven.
The Israeli military stated that the attack specifically targeted 28-year-old al-Sharif, accusing him of leading a Hamas terrorist cell. However, Al Jazeera and other sources have denied these claims, citing a lack of evidence. Prior to his death, al-Sharif had publicly criticized Hamas in some social media posts.
Al Jazeera condemned the strike as a “targeted assassination” and a deliberate attack on press freedom. The United Nations described the killings as a “grave breach of international humanitarian law,” while the Committee to Protect Journalists reported that 186 journalists have now been killed in the ongoing conflict since October 2023.
Due to Israeli restrictions on international news organizations operating freely in Gaza, many rely heavily on Gaza-based reporters like those killed to cover events in the region.
Among the deceased Al Jazeera staff were correspondent Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, along with freelance reporter Mohammad al-Khaldi. Their deaths have drawn widespread condemnation from international organizations and governments, with urgent calls for investigations and sanctions against Israel.
This strike is widely viewed as a serious violation of press freedom and international law, especially given the absence of evidence supporting Israel’s accusations and the deliberate targeting of a media site. Al-Sharif was recognized for his courageous frontline reporting and dedication to truth-telling despite significant risks.
Amid ongoing conflict and rising casualties among journalists, this incident underscores growing concerns over the safety of media workers in war zones and the increasing difficulties in reporting freely and fairly from Gaza.
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