A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, Anas Al Sharif, and five colleagues were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday, in an attack condemned by human rights and journalist groups.
Al Sharif, 28, was part of a Reuters team that won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
He was among four Al Jazeera journalists and an assistant killed in the strike near Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza City, according to Gaza officials and the network. The other journalists were Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal. A hospital official said two other people were also killed.
A sixth journalist, Mohammad Al-Khaldi, a local freelance reporter, was also killed in the airstrike, according medics at Al Shifa Hospital said on Monday.
Al Jazeera described the strike as a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza,” and called Al Sharif “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists."
According to the Israeli military official statement posted on Telegram, Al Sharif “posed as a journalist” for Al Jazeera and served as the head of a Hamas terrorist cell. The IDF alleged he was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and Israeli troops, citing intelligence and documents recovered in Gaza, including personnel rosters, lists of training courses, phone directories and salary records, as proof of his role in Hamas and his integration into Al Jazeera.
The media organisation rejected the claims, and before his death Al Sharif had denied earlier Israeli allegations linking him to Hamas.
The statement added that the IDF used precision munitions, aerial surveillance and other measures to avoid civilian casualties.
A press freedom group and United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan had previously warned that Al Sharif’s life was at risk due to his reporting, saying Israel’s claims lacked substantiation.
Sara Qudah, Director for the Middle East and North Africa at the Committee to Protect Journalists’ said “Israel’s pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom.”
Minutes before his death, Al Sharif posted on X that Gaza City had been under intense bombardment for more than two hours.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said 237 journalists have been killed since the war began on 7 October, 2023.
The Committee to Protect Journalists puts the death toll at at least 186.
Friends, colleagues and relatives embraced and consoled one another on Monday as they gathered at Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in the heart of the Gaza Strip to mourn the journalists.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire ...
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations ag...
Azerbaijan is once again at the centre of global climate diplomacy, hosting World Environment Day 2026 and bringing together international leaders, po...
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environm...
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engag...
U.S. President Donald Trump said he sees progress between Israel and Lebanon after talks with Netanyahu, while Hezbollah has rejected a new ceasefire proposal and Israel has ruled out a troop withdrawal.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
The Eighth Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly has concluded in Samarkand, bringing together representatives from 186 countries to set environmental priorities and approve new funding for climate, biodiversity and sustainable development initiatives.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said in a statement that its Aerospace Force did not strike the Kuwait Airport passenger terminal on Wednesday, and that the destruction was instead caused by a failed U.S. Patriot missile.
Five Azerbaijani citizens have been killed and three others injured following drone attacks on two cargo vessels in the Sea of Azov, Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.
Israel and Lebanon have agreed to implement a ceasefire after U.S.-backed talks in Washington. The deal requires Hezbollah to halt attacks and withdraw from southern Lebanon, while both sides will resume direct talks later this month aimed at reaching a broader agreement.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
As Armenia heads toward parliamentary elections on 7 June, the country's relationship with Azerbaijan is emerging as one of the defining issues of the campaign, with analysts and international observers highlighting the role of regional politics in shaping voters’ mindsets.
People across Gaza are facing a worsening humanitarian crisis, with millions struggling to access food, clean water, shelter and medical care as the conflict continues.
The next time a goal goes in during a Champions League final, fans around the world could watch it from every angle at once — frozen, rotated and replayed in ways that were impossible only a few years ago.
An ageing, poorly insured shadow armada now accounts for around one-sixth of the world's tanker fleet. Hidden by design and fraught with risk, it operates beyond conventional oversight. A maritime law expert explains how it works, who profits, and why much of the world looks the other way.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected allegations published by CNN claiming that its territory was used for Israeli military and intelligence operations against Iran, describing the report as entirely baseless and demanding a retraction.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Nigerien President Abdourahamane Tchiani in Ankara on Thursday, underscoring Türkiye’s growing engagement with Africa’s Sahel region as geopolitical alliances continue to shift.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment