Correspondent Anas al-Sharif Among Five Al-Jazeera Journalists Killed in Targeted Strike By Israeli Military
August 11, 2025
Al Jazeera Condemns Targeted Killing of Gaza Journalists in Israeli Airstrike
August 11, 2025
August 11, 2025 – Palestine –
A targeted Israeli drone strike hit a clearly marked media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, killing five Al Jazeera journalists and two other individuals. Those killed were veteran correspondent Anas al-Sharif, fellow correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and assistant Mohammed Noufal. The journalists were reportedly meeting in the tent to coordinate coverage when the strike occurred.
The Israeli military justified the attack by claiming al-Sharif was a Hamas cell leader involved in orchestrating rocket attacks. However, Al Jazeera, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and the United Nations’ special rapporteur on freedom of expression rejected the accusation, stressing that no verifiable evidence has been provided. CPJ’s regional director, Sara Qudah, condemned the killing, stating that “journalists are civilians and must never be targeted,” and called for accountability.
Al Jazeera described the strike as a “targeted assassination” and a blatant attempt to silence critical reporting from Gaza. The network emphasised that al-Sharif had been one of Gaza’s most courageous journalists, continuing to report despite ongoing threats. They linked his killing and those of his colleagues to a broader campaign aimed at suppressing media coverage of the humanitarian crisis and alleged human rights abuses in Gaza.
Rights groups note that the targeting of Palestinian journalists is not an isolated occurrence. Since the start of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023, at least 269 journalists and media workers have been killed. Many of these deaths have been accompanied by accusations, often without substantiated proof, that the victims were affiliated with Hamas. Human rights advocates argue this narrative serves to discredit and delegitimize independent reporting from the enclave.
The latest killings are seen by many as part of a dangerous erosion of protections for the press, with calls growing louder for independent investigations and international accountability mechanisms to deter future violations.
References –
