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Al Jazeera confirmed that its Arabic correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, was killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza City. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed his death, stating, “the IDF struck the terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as a journalist for the Al Jazeera network.”
Why It Matters
Reporting from Gaza has become increasingly perilous. Reporters Without Borders reported that since October 7, 2023, when the war began, the Israeli army had killed over 200 journalists. Last year marked a record number of journalist deaths worldwide; nearly 70 percent were attributed to Israeli fire, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Many journalists have left Gaza due to safety and health concerns.
With access severely limited and food and supplies scarce, reporters work in difficult conditions. Al-Sharif was often seen in a press vest and covered northern Gaza, where much of the fighting has taken place for 22 months.
Details of the Strike
Late Sunday night, Israel struck “a tent for journalists outside the main gate of al-Shifa hospital,” killing Anas al-Sharif and four other Al Jazeera staff members. The outlet confirmed that Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa were also killed in the attack. The IDF stated that seven people died.
The journalists were outside the main medical center in Gaza, which has been largely destroyed over 22 months of fighting.
IDF’s Claims
The IDF confirmed al-Sharif’s death but noted he was not considered a journalist. They said, “Anas Al-Sharif served as head of a terrorist cell in Hamas and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.” However, Al Jazeera, the CPJ, and UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan have repeatedly denounced these claims, emphasizing that al-Sharif is a journalist.
Al Jazeera had previously condemned the Israeli military’s “campaign of incitement” against its reporters in Gaza. In July, an IDF spokesperson reshared a video accusing al-Sharif of being part of Hamas’s military wing – a claim they rejected as false. The IDF has killed over 200 journalists and media workers since the war began, including several Al Jazeera journalists.
The IDF stated that steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians but continued to operate against terrorist organizations in Gaza. Minutes before his death, al-Sharif posted a video of Israel bombing Gaza City, concluding with “I never hesitated for a single day to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification.”
Al Jazeera correspondent Hani Mahmoud described the attack as “the hardest thing” he’s reported in 22 months. He highlighted that this attack came just weeks after an Israeli military official accused al-Sharif directly and ran a campaign of incitement against him due to his relentless reporting on starvation, famine, and malnutrition.
Journalist Barry Malone expressed outrage: “The Israelis have murdered Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif. The f****** b*******. They’d been threatening this for a while. Anas was so courageous and brought a special emotion and depth to his reports.”
In his final statement, posted by page administrators on his X account, al-Sharif urged: “Do not forget Gaza…”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed shock at the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and four other staff members in an Israeli attack. CPJ noted that over 186 journalists have been killed since the start of the Israel-Gaza war, with at least 180 being Palestinians killed by Israel.
UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression Irene Khan was deeply alarmed by repeated threats and accusations against Anas Al-Sharif by the Israeli army.
📚 Reading Comprehension Quiz
According to the passage, what did the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claim about Anas al-Sharif?
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