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Five Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike near Al-Shifa hospital | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
Anas al-Sharif had reported extensively from northern Gaza, Al Jazeera said | Anas al-Sharif had reported extensively from northern Gaza, Al Jazeera said |
Five Al Jazeera journalists have been killed in an Israeli strike near Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital, the broadcaster has said. | |
Correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, plus cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa were in a tent for journalists at the hospital's main gate when it was targeted, Al Jazeera reported. | |
The "targeted assassination" was "yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom", it said in a statement. | |
Shortly after the strike, the IDF confirmed that it had struck Anas al-Sharif, posting on Telegram that he had "served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas". | Shortly after the strike, the IDF confirmed that it had struck Anas al-Sharif, posting on Telegram that he had "served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas". |
The IDF did not mention any of the other journalists who were killed. | |
In total, seven people died in the strike, Al Jazeera reports. The broadcaster initially said that four of its staff had been killed, but revised it to five a few hours later. | |
Its managing editor, Mohamed Moawad, told the BBC that al-Sharif was an accredited journalist who was "the only voice" for the world to know what was happening in the Gaza Strip. | |
Throughout the war, Israel has not allowed international journalists into Gaza to report freely. Therefore, many outlets rely on local reporters within Gaza for coverage. | |
"They were targeted in their tent, they weren't covering from the front line," Mr Moawad said of the Israeli strike. | |
"The fact is that the Israeli government is wanting to silence the coverage of any channel of reporting from inside Gaza," he told The Newsroom programme. | |
"This is something that I haven't seen before in modern history." | |
BBC and news agencies warn journalists in Gaza at risk of starvation | |
Al-Sharif, 28, appeared to be posting on X in the moments before his death, warning of intense Israeli bombardment within Gaza City. | Al-Sharif, 28, appeared to be posting on X in the moments before his death, warning of intense Israeli bombardment within Gaza City. |
A post that was published after he was reported to have died appears to have been pre-written and published by a friend. | |
In two graphic videos of the aftermath of the strike, which have been confirmed by BBC Verify, men can be seen carrying the bodies of those who were killed. | |
Some shout out Mohammed Qreiqeh's name, and a man wearing a media vest says that one of the bodies is that of Anas al-Sharif. | |
The IDF statement accused al-Sharif of posing as a journalist, and being "responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops" | The IDF statement accused al-Sharif of posing as a journalist, and being "responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops" |
It said it had previously "disclosed intelligence" confirming his military affiliation, which included "lists of terrorist training courses". | It said it had previously "disclosed intelligence" confirming his military affiliation, which included "lists of terrorist training courses". |
"Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munition, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence," the statement added. | "Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munition, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence," the statement added. |
Last month, the Al Jazeera Media Network - along with the United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) - issued separate statements calling for the protection of al-Sharif. | |
The broadcaster denounced "relentless efforts" by the IDF for an "ongoing campaign of incitement targeting Al Jazeera's correspondents and journalists in the Gaza Strip". | |
"The Network considers this incitement a dangerous attempt to justify the targeting of its journalists in the field," it added. | |
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 186 journalists have been confirmed killed since the start of Israel's military offensive in Gaza in October 2023. | |
Additional reporting by Shayan Sardarizadeh, BBC Verify | Additional reporting by Shayan Sardarizadeh, BBC Verify |