The Israeli military claimed on Sunday that it killed a Hamas leader disguised as a journalist in Gaza. However, rights activists stated that the person was an Al Jazeera journalist reporting from the front lines in the war-torn area of Gaza.
Israel carried out an airstrike on a tent near Shifa Hospital in the eastern part of Gaza City on Sunday. The attack killed five people, including four Al Jazeera journalists and one assistant. According to a hospital official, two others also died in the attack.
Among those killed, 28-year-old Anas al-Sharif was described by Israel as a “Hamas leader operating disguised as a journalist.”
In a statement released by the Israeli military, al-Sharif was identified as the head of a Hamas cell. He was accused of being responsible for increasing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers.
Journalist associations and Al Jazeera have condemned the killing of journalists in the Israeli attack. According to Al Jazeera, the other deceased journalists included Mohammad Kureikeh, Ibrahim Zaher, and Mohammad Nofal.
Groups advocating for journalists’ rights and a United Nations spokesperson had previously warned that Anas al-Sharif’s life was at risk due to his frontline reporting from Gaza.
In July, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on the international community to ensure al-Sharif’s safety. The CPJ has condemned the killing of al-Sharif and other journalists, stating that although Israel has accused him of being a Hamas leader, this claim has not been verified.
“Israel’s habit of labeling journalists as militants without credible evidence raises serious questions about its intentions and respect for press freedom,” said Sarah Qudah, CPJ’s director for the Middle East and North Africa.
Message left by Sharif before his death
According to Al Jazeera, Anas al-Sharif left a message on social media to be published if he died, which read,
“…I never hesitated to present the truth as it is, without any distortion or alteration, and I hope God will bear witness to those who remain silent.”
On his X account (formerly Twitter), which had over 500,000 followers, al-Sharif wrote just minutes before his death that intense bombing had been ongoing in Gaza City for more than two hours.
Al Jazeera condemned the Israeli attack, calling him “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists.” “Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues were among the voices that brought the tragic reality of Gaza to the world,” the network said. It described the Israeli strike as “an attempt to silence voices amid preparations to take over Gaza.”
Hamas, which controls Gaza, said the killing could signal the start of a possible Israeli invasion. “The killing of journalists and threats to others is preparation for a major crime planned by the occupiers in Gaza City,” Hamas said in a statement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a new offensive to destroy Hamas strongholds in Gaza, where a hunger crisis has worsened after 22 months of conflict.
According to the Gaza government’s media office run by Hamas, 237 journalists have been killed since the war began on October 7, 2023. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reports that at least 186 journalists have died in the Gaza conflict.
