Five journalists from Al Jazeera, including prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, were killed in an Israeli airstrike near Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, prompting international condemnation and a fierce defense of the operation by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
An Israeli airstrike on Sunday targeted a press tent near the main gate of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, killing five Al Jazeera journalists Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa—as well as two others, according to hospital officials and the Qatari broadcaster. The journalists were sheltering and reporting on the ongoing conflict when the strike hit the tent clearly marked for press use.
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The Israel Defense Forces confirmed responsibility for the strike, stating that they targeted Anas al-Sharif, accusing him of leading a Hamas cell involved in coordinating rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and military personnel. This claim has been strongly denied by Al Jazeera and colleagues of al-Sharif, who insist he was a journalist dedicated to frontline reporting. Al-Sharif had also previously refuted accusations linking him to militant activities.
Al Jazeera condemned the attack as a brutal and deliberate attempt to silence reporters covering the devastating impact of the Israeli campaign in Gaza. The network described it as a “targeted assassination” and “a desperate effort to silence voices amid anticipation of occupation.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, facing mounting criticism, defended the broader military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure in Gaza City. He emphasized the operation as necessary and vowed to make the conflict as brief as possible, rejecting accusations that recent strikes constituted disproportionate violence.
The deadly incident has intensified international scrutiny over the growing toll of civilian and media casualties in Gaza. The United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting to address Israel’s escalating military actions. Critics warn the expanding campaign risks deepening the humanitarian crisis and further destabilizing the region.
As global reactions unfold, journalists and rights groups have called for accountability and protection of press freedom amid an increasingly perilous environment for media operating in Gaza. Hundreds gathered in Gaza on Monday to honor the fallen journalists, highlighting the dangers faced by those documenting the conflict.
This airstrike marks the deadliest single incident involving journalists since the current Gaza war escalated, underlining the immense risks faced by reporters committed to frontline coverage in one of the world’s most volatile conflict zones.
AP NEWS
