Al Jazeera Arabic reporter Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh were killed in an Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip. Two cameramen, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, lost their lives in the fatal attack too. The journalists, along with three others, were killed in the attack on their tent located outside the main gate of Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital late on Sunday evening.
This came shortly after the well-known correspondent, Al-Sharif, took to X (formerly Twitter) and informed via social media that Israel had initiated ‘concentrated bombardment’ on the southern and eastern parts of Gaza. In his last post, a video showed the bombings as fire lit the night skies in an orange hue of death.
As per the Al Jazeera statement, the media house condemned “in the strongest terms, the targeted assassination of its correspondents Anas Al Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea”. They held the Israeli occupation forces accountable for the “blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom.”
This comes after the harrowing attacks on the Gazan civilians by Israel, causing tragedy and chaos. As per an Al Jazeera report, Anas Al-Sharif was repeatedly targeted in the past for his coverage of the ground reality. Bidding farewell to the lives lost, the news network called them one of the “last of the finest journalists” reporting from Gaza.
Accused of Hamas affiliation
Ahead of Al-Sharif’s assassination, the Israeli military accused him of being involved in heading a Hamas cell and “advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and [Israeli] troops”. In a statement confirming the deliberate killing of the journalists and cameramen, the Israeli military claimed that they had evidence to prove Al-Sharif’s alignment. However, Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor’s Muhammed Shehada confirmed that there was “zero evidence” of the same. For months, officials were concerned about Al-Sharif and team’s safety following repeated threats and actions.
Ever since Israel launched its attack on Gaza in October 2023, several Palestinian journalists have been accused and threatened by the forces. With little to no international media allowed in the area, Sharif and his team were experiencing the same hunger, tragedy, and atrocities as the others on the receiving end of the Israeli violence.