Five Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza City on Sunday, including 28-year-old correspondent Anas al-Sharif, who had prominently reported on the war from its outset. The other Al Jazeera journalists killed were correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. Two more individuals were also killed, with hospital officials identifying one as local freelance journalist Mohammed al-Khaldi. The attack on a tent used by journalists has received strong international condemnation, including from the UN, Qatar, and media freedom groups.
Israel claims Sharif was “the head of a Hamas terrorist cell” but has provided little evidence. Sharif previously denied this, and Al Jazeera along with media rights groups have rejected the allegation. The BBC reports that Sharif worked for a Hamas media team in Gaza prior to the conflict, though he was heard criticizing Hamas in some social media posts before his death.
Committee for the Protection of Journalists CEO Jodie Ginsberg stated there was no justification for Sharif’s killing, noting that international law stipulates only active combatants are legitimate targets during war. “Having worked as a media advisor for Hamas does not make you an active combatant,” she noted.
Anas al-Sharif rose as one of Al Jazeera’s most notable reporters in Gaza during the war. Born in the Jabalia area of the Strip, he worked for Al Jazeera for around two years. Al Jazeera English News Director Salah Negm noted that Sharif reported daily on the conditions in Gaza. Despite being separated from his wife and two young children during the war, he continued his reporting in northern Gaza after defying Israeli evacuation orders. His last broadcast was about the intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza City shortly before he was killed. He had lost his father to an Israeli strike in December 2023.
Al Jazeera’s Mohamed Moawad described Sharif as the “only voice left in Gaza City,” despite Israel’s plans for military occupation. Raed Fakih, an Al Jazeera Arabic input manager, stated that Sharif was “courageous, dedicated, and honest,” attributes that earned him a large social media following worldwide. Fakih revealed Sharif’s experiences with famine and shared hardships endured alongside the people of Gaza before his death.
Israel accused Sharif of leading a “terrorist cell” in Hamas and launching attacks on Israelis but provided limited evidence to support its claims. The IDF claims to possess documents proving his Hamas affiliation, yet Reporters Without Borders labeled these allegations as “baseless.” Nearly 200 journalists have been killed since Israel’s response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault. Al Jazeera accuses Israel of perpetuating a pattern of targeting journalists, recalling veteran journalist Shireen Abu Aqla’s death in 2022 during an Israeli army raid. Sharif, aware of the potential threat from Israel, shared a message prewritten for his death expressing his commitment to his people and urging remembrance of Gaza.