For nearly two years, Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau has been one of the few continuous, independent voices reporting from inside the besieged enclave. Its reporters, often working in impossible conditions, have documented the devastation of Israel’s military campaign, the humanitarian collapse, and the daily lives of Palestinians under bombardment. In the absence of international press access to Gaza — Israel bars most foreign journalists except on controlled military tours — Al Jazeera’s coverage has become a primary source for global audiences. That visibility, and the broadcaster’s often critical reporting on the war, has made its journalists uniquely vulnerable. On Sunday, that vulnerability turned lethal.
The Strike and Its Victims
An Israeli strike in Gaza City killed six journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, one of Al Jazeera’s most recognisable correspondents in the territory. Sharif, 28, had become a familiar face for viewers following the 22-month-old war, known for his on-the-ground coverage from some of Gaza’s hardest-hit neighbourhoods. Four other Al Jazeera staff — Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa — were also killed when a missile hit a tent set up for reporters outside the main gate of Al-Shifa Hospital. Freelance journalist Mohammed Al-Khaldi was also among the dead.
Mourners in Gaza carried their bodies through narrow alleys, wrapped in white shrouds, as fellow journalists in blue flak jackets stood in solemn tribute.
Israel’s Justification and Accusations
Israel confirmed it had deliberately targeted Sharif, calling him a “terrorist” affiliated with Hamas and claiming he led a militant cell responsible for advancing rocket attacks. The Israeli military released documents purporting to show his enlistment in Hamas in 2013, injury reports from 2017, and his military rank.
Colleagues acknowledged Sharif had once worked in a Hamas communications office early in his career, but insisted his role at Al Jazeera was purely journalistic. Media rights groups and the UN human rights agency have rejected Israel’s explanation, calling the attack a “grave breach of international humanitarian law” unless credible evidence emerges that Sharif was an active combatant.
Condemnation from Around the World
The United Nations, European Union, and multiple press freedom organisations denounced the killings. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas condemned the strike, while the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders noted a troubling pattern of Israel labelling Gaza-based journalists as militants without substantiating evidence.
CPJ CEO Jodie Ginsberg emphasised:
“International law is clear that active combatants are the only justified targets in a war setting. Unless Israel can demonstrate that Anas al-Sharif was still an active combatant, there is no justification for his killing.”
Al Jazeera accused Israel of mounting a campaign of “repeated incitement” against its journalists, calling the strike “a desperate attempt to silence voices exposing the occupation.” Nearly 200 journalists have been killed since the war began, according to Reporters Without Borders — an unprecedented toll in modern conflict.
Israel’s restrictions on foreign press access have meant that Gaza’s own reporters, often working with limited protective gear and under constant threat, have borne the full burden of documenting the war.
The killings come as Israel prepares to expand military operations into the remaining areas outside its control, including parts of Gaza City and Al-Mawasi, a designated “safe zone” now crowded with displaced civilians. The plan has triggered intense debate within Israel’s own security establishment and condemnation from allies, including Germany, which has suspended arms shipments for use in Gaza. Australia has joined a growing list of Western countries recognising a Palestinian state.
The United Nations has warned that the offensive could trigger “another calamity” in a territory already facing famine conditions due to severe aid restrictions. The Gaza health ministry says at least 61,499 Palestinians have been killed since the war began; the UN considers the figures reliable. Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel killed 1,219 people, according to official counts.
In every war, there is a struggle not only for territory but for narrative. In Gaza, where outside media access is tightly controlled, local journalists have been the eyes and ears of the world. The killing of the Al Jazeera team is not just a tragedy for their families or a loss for press freedom — it narrows the window through which the world sees this conflict. Whether accidental, targeted, or disputed, such incidents erode trust, fuel polarisation, and leave the truth an even rarer commodity in the fog of war.
