Israel forces killed at least five Al Jazeera journalists in an air strike on a media tent at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza on Sunday night. The dead included prominent reporters Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that they had intentionally targeted al-Sharif, claiming he was “a terrorist, who posed as a journalist for the Al Jazeera network”. The IDF alleged that he had engaged in militant activity while using his role as a journalist as cover.
Just minutes before the strike, al-Sharif had posted on social media about intense Israeli bombardment in parts of Gaza City. “Relentless bombardment… For two hours, the Israeli aggression has intensified on Gaza City,” his final post read.
In an earlier post, he had written: “If this madness does not end, Gaza will be reduced to ruins, its people’s voices silenced, their faces erased — and history will remember you as silent witnesses to a genocide you chose not to stop.”
Al-Sharif had reported extensively on the Gaza war for Al Jazeera, frequently broadcasting live from the field and providing regular social media updates on military operations. He was known for his frontline coverage from some of the most heavily affected areas.
Qraiqea contributed to the network’s conflict coverage by producing video reports and conducting interviews across the territory. In recent days, he had been reporting from Al-Shifa Hospital.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has documented at least 186 journalists and media workers killed during the Israel invasion of Gaza, describing it as the deadliest period for the profession since records began in 1992. The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and the International Federation of Journalists have reported higher figures.