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Five Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike near Al-Shifa hospital | Five Al Jazeera journalists killed in Israeli strike near Al-Shifa hospital |
(about 1 hour 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. | 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, alongside 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" on Sunday 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 targeted Anas al-Sharif, writing in a Telegram post 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. | 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. | 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. | 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 the territory for coverage. | |
"They were targeted in their tent, they weren't covering from the front line," 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. | "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." | "This is something that I haven't seen before in modern history." |
BBC and news agencies warn journalists in Gaza at risk of starvation | 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. 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. | 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 Qreiqeh's name, and a man wearing a media vest says that one of the bodies is that of al-Sharif. | |
In its statement, the IDF 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". |
Last month, the Al Jazeera Media Network - along with the United Nations and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) - issued separate statements warning that al-Sharif's life was in danger, and calling for his protection. | |
Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of the CPJ, told the BBC that Israeli authorities have failed to provide evidence to show that the journalists they killed were terrorists. | |
"This is a pattern we've seen from Israel - not just in the current war, but in the decades preceding - in which typically a journalist will be killed by Israeli forces and then Israel will say after the fact that they are a terrorist, but provides very little evidence to back up those claims," she said. | |
This is not the first time the IDF has targeted and killed Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza, who they claimed were Hamas-affiliated. | |
In August last year, Ismael Al-Ghoul was hit by an air strike as he sat in his car - harrowing video shared on social media showed his decapitated body. Cameraman, Rami al-Rifi, and a boy passing on a bicycle were also killed. | |
In al-Ghoul's case, the IDF said he took part in Hamas' 7 October 2023 attacks against Israel, a claim Al Jazeera strongly rejected. | |
According to the 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 |