Israel has assassinated Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif and four other staff in a targeted attack on a tent in Gaza City, taking the total number of journalists killed since October 7, 2023 to 269.
Correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal were meeting in a media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital when they were targeted by a drone.
Two others were killed in the Sunday evening attack that has drawn condemnation.
Al Jazeera Media Network has condemned what it called a “targeted assassination” and called it “yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom”.
“This attack comes amid the catastrophic consequences of the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza, which has seen the relentless slaughter of civilians, forced starvation, and the obliteration of entire communities,” the network said in a statement.
“The order to assassinate Anas Al Sharif, one of Gaza’s bravest journalists, and his colleagues, is a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) says it is “appalled” by Israel’s killing of Al Jazeera journalists.
“Israel’s pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” said the CPJ’s regional director, Sara Qudah.
“Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable,” Qudah added.
Last month the CPJ said it was gravely concerned for the safety of al-Sharif as he was being “targeted by an Israeli military smear campaign”.
Since Israel launched its war on the enclave in October 2023, it has routinely accused Palestinian journalists in Gaza of being Hamas members, as part of what rights groups say is an effort to discredit their reporting of Israeli abuses.
