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- Anas Al Sharif among four journalists targeted by Israel.
- Israel claims Al Sharif was responsible for launching rocket attacks.
- Press freedom organizations and UN officials dispute evidence linking him to Hamas.
Cairo/Jerusalem: The Israeli military states it killed an Al Jazeera journalist whom they accused of leading a Hamas cell during an airstrike in Gaza. However, human rights advocates argue the target was due to his frontline reporting on the conflict, and the military’s assertion lacks concrete proof.
Anas Al Sharif, 28, was among four journalists and an aide who perished in an attack on a tent near Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza City, according to Gaza officials and Al Jazeera. An official at the hospital reported two additional casualties in the strike.
Describing Al Sharif as “one of Gaza’s most courageous reporters,” Al Jazeera condemned the attack as “a reckless move to silence voices in anticipation of a Gaza occupation.”
The Israeli military claimed Al Sharif was “head of a Hamas cell” responsible for facilitating rocket assaults on Israeli civilians and military personnel, citing intelligence and documents recovered in Gaza as evidence.
Media organizations and Al Jazeera condemned the killings, with Al Jazeera highlighting that the others killed were Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, and Mohammed Noufal.
Prior warnings from press freedom groups and a UN special rapporteur indicated Al Sharif’s life was at risk because of his reporting. Last month, UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan stated that Israel’s accusations against him were unfounded.
Al Jazeera shared that Al Sharif posted a social media message before his death stating, “[…] I have always sought to tell the truth without distortion, hoping to stand before God as witnesses to those who remain silent.”
In October, the Israeli military named Al Sharif as one of six Gaza journalists allegedly linked to Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, presenting documents allegedly showing training and salary records.
“Al Jazeera firmly rejects Israel’s portrayal of our journalists as terrorists and condemns the fabricated evidence,” the network stated at that time.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, which called for international protection of Al Sharif in July, criticized Israel for lacking evidence to support its accusations.
Commenting on the situation, CPJ’s Middle East and North Africa director Sara Qudah said, “Israel’s habit of labeling journalists as militants without credible proof raises serious concerns about its respect for press freedom and intent.”
Al Sharif’s X (formerly Twitter) account, boasting over 500,000 followers, was active just minutes before he was killed, where he reported that Gaza City had endured continuous Israeli bombardment for over two hours.
Hamas suggested that his death could foreshadow a broader Israeli offensive. “Targeting and intimidating journalists paves the way for further crimes by the occupation in Gaza,” the group stated.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for a new offensive aimed at dismantling Hamas strongholds amid an escalating hunger crisis after nearly two years of conflict.
Al Jazeera asserted that Al Sharif and his colleagues were among Gaza’s last voices conveying the harsh realities of the conflict to the outside world.
Gaza’s government media reported 237 journalists have been killed since October 7, 2023. Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists estimates at least 186 members of the press have died in the ongoing conflict.
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