5 Al Jazeera journalists had been killed by an Israeli strike in Gaza Metropolis on Sunday – amongst them 28-year-old correspondent Anas al-Sharif, who had reported prominently on the battle since its outset.
The opposite 4 Al Jazeera journalists killed had been correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and crew driver and cameraman Mohammed Noufal, Al Jazeera stated.
Two others had been additionally killed, the broadcaster stated. Hospital officers named Mohammed al-Khaldi, a neighborhood freelance journalist, as one among them.
The focused assault on a tent utilized by journalists has drawn sturdy worldwide condemnation together with from the UN, Qatar the place Al Jazeera is predicated, and media freedom teams.
Israel says Sharif was “the pinnacle of a Hamas terrorist cell” however has produced little proof to assist that. Sharif beforehand denied it, and Al Jazeera and media rights teams have rejected the allegation. The IDF has stated nothing in regards to the different journalists it killed.
The BBC understands Sharif labored for a Hamas media staff in Gaza earlier than the present battle.
In a few of his social media posts earlier than his loss of life, the journalist will be heard criticising Hamas.
Committee for the Safety of Journalists CEO Jodie Ginsberg informed the BBC there was no justification for Sharif’s killing.
“Worldwide legislation may be very clear on this level that the one people who’re reputable targets throughout a battle are energetic combatants. Having labored as a media advisor for Hamas, or certainly for Hamas at present, doesn’t make you an energetic combatant”, she stated.
“And nothing that the Israeli forces has produced thus far when it comes to proof provides us any type of assurance that he was even an energetic member of Hamas.”
The ‘solely voice’ left in Gaza Metropolis
AFP through Getty PhotographsAnas al-Sharif grew to become one among Al Jazeera’s most outstanding reporters in Gaza in the course of the battle.
Born within the densely populated Jabalia space within the north of the Strip, he labored for Al Jazeera for about two years, the broadcaster stated.
“He labored for the entire size of the battle inside Gaza reporting every day on the state of affairs of individuals and the assaults that are dedicated in Gaza,” Salah Negm, director of reports at Al Jazeera English, informed the BBC.
Married with a four-year-old daughter, Sham, and a one-year-old son, Salah, he was separated from them for lengthy stretches in the course of the battle whereas he continued to report from the north of the territory after refusing to comply with Israeli evacuation orders.
A joint Instagram publish on his official account alongside along with his spouse’s in January this 12 months confirmed an image of Sharif smiling along with his two youngsters. The caption stated it was the primary time he was assembly Salah, after 15 months of battle.
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Sharif appeared steadily in reside broadcasts, reporting extensively on the state of affairs in Gaza.
He reported on the concentrating on of his colleagues, together with prominent Al Jazeera correspondent Ismail al-Ghoul and cameraman Rami al-Rifi, who had been killed in 2024 in an air strike in Gaza Metropolis.
His father had already been killed in December 2023 when the household house was focused in an Israeli strike. Hours earlier than he himself was killed, he posted about an intense Israeli bombardment of Gaza Metropolis.
Mohamed Moawad, Al Jazeera’s managing editor, described him because the “solely voice left in Gaza Metropolis” – which Israel now plans to militarily occupy.
Raed Fakih, enter supervisor at Al Jazeera’s Arabic-language channel, informed the BBC Sharif was “brave, devoted, and sincere – that is what made him profitable as a journalist with a whole bunch of hundreds of social media followers from all around the world”.
Fakih, who’s in command of the channel’s bureaux and correspondents, added: “His dedication took him to areas the place no different reporter ventured to go, particularly those who witnessed the worst massacres. His integrity stored him true to his message as a journalist.”
Fakih stated he spoke to Sharif many occasions on the cellphone all through the battle.
“In our final conversations, he informed me in regards to the famine and hunger he was enduring, about how laborious it’s to outlive with so little meals,” he stated.
“He felt he had no selection however to amplify the voice of the Gazans. He was dwelling the identical hardships they’re dwelling now, affected by famine, mourning family members.
“His father was killed in an Israeli bombing. In that means, he was like all Gazans: carrying loss, ache, and resilience. And even within the face of loss of life, he continued, as a result of this can be a story that have to be informed.”
Who had been the opposite journalists killed?
EPA/ShutterstockMohammed Qreiqeh, 33, was a father of two from Gaza Metropolis. Like Sharif, he was separated from his household for months in the course of the battle as he reported from the entrance strains in northern Gaza.
Qreiqeh’s final reside broadcast was on Sunday night, minutes earlier than he was focused, Al Jazeera reported.
The broadcaster stated his mom was killed in March 2024 when Israeli forces raided al-Shifa hospital in Gaza Metropolis. He discovered his mom after looking for her physique for 2 weeks, it stated.
His brother was additionally killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza Metropolis in March, Al Jazeera stated.
Al Araby TV correspondent Islam Bader, who additionally studies from Gaza, stated he had labored with Qreiqeh for years. In a publish on Instagram he described Qreiqeh as having a “very calm” soul.
Cameraman Ibrahim Zaher, 25, was additionally from Jabalia, in response to Al Jazeera. Bader stated he had been a journalist from the start of the battle, whereas additionally volunteering with medical companies.
Cameraman Moamen Aliwa was described as “pleasant, useful, variety, well mannered” by Bader. He wrote on Instagram Aliwa had initially studied engineering however in the course of the battle grew to become a journalist.
Mohammed Noufal, described as each a cameraman and crew driver by Al Jazeera, was additionally from Jabalia. The information outlet stated the 29-year-old’s mom and brother had been killed by Israeli assaults earlier within the battle.
Freelance journalist Mohammed al-Khaldi posted a variety of movies on social media documenting his life and that of others in war-torn Gaza. His final video posted on Instagram over the weekend confirmed an eight-year-old lady talking about her wrestle with starvation, and he appealed for his followers to assist her.
Israel alleges Sharif led ‘terrorist cell’, with little proof
The Israeli navy accused Sharif of posing as a journalist, saying he had “served as the pinnacle of a terrorist cell in Hamas” and was chargeable for launching rocket assaults at Israelis – nevertheless it has produced little proof to assist these claims.
In a press release, the IDF stated it had paperwork which “unequivocally show” his “navy affiliation” with Hamas, together with “personnel rosters, lists of terrorist coaching programs, cellphone directories, and wage paperwork”.
It has publicly launched some screenshots of spreadsheets apparently itemizing Hamas operatives from the northern Gaza Strip, noting accidents to Hamas operatives and a piece of what’s stated to be a cellphone listing for the armed group’s East Jabalia battalion.
Israel had beforehand accused Sharif of being a member of Hamas’s navy wing – one thing he and his employer strongly denied.
Reporters With out Borders (RSF), a media freedom group, stated the allegations towards him had been “baseless” and known as on the worldwide group to intervene.
“With out sturdy motion from the worldwide group to cease the Israeli military… we’re prone to witness extra such extrajudicial murders of media professionals,” RSF stated.
Practically 200 journalists have been killed within the battle Israel launched in response to Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault, in response to RSF.
Fakih from Al Jazeera accused the Israeli navy of fabricating tales about journalists earlier than killing them, to “conceal what [it] is committing in Gaza”. Israel has beforehand denied concentrating on journalists.
He described this as a “longstanding sample” and referred to the Israeli military’s killing of veteran Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Aqla, who was shot within the head throughout an Israeli military raid within the occupied West Financial institution in 2022.
The Israeli navy concluded that one among its troopers most likely killed her, however known as her loss of life unintentional. Al Jazeera stated its proof confirmed it was a “deliberate killing”.
“Right here is an important truth: had Israel been held accountable for Shireen’s assassination, it could not have dared to kill 200 journalists in Gaza,” stated Fakih.
Sharif knew he risked being focused by Israel after its Arabic-language spokesman posted a video of him in July and accused him of being a member of Hamas’ navy wing.
In a publish revealed on his X account, which was prewritten within the occasion of his loss of life, Sharif stated he “gave each effort and all my power to be a assist and a voice for my individuals… Don’t forget Gaza.”
