Five Al Jazeera journalists covering the conflict in the Gaza Strip were reported killed by Israeli airstrikes, according to AFP on Nov. 11 (local time).
According to Al Jazeera, staff journalist Anas Al Sharif, 28, died on the 10th outside a makeshift tent set up at the main entrance of Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City during an airstrike. Other journalists, including Mohamed Kreyke, cameraman Ibrahim Zaher, Mohamed Nufal, and Moamen Ali, also suffered casualties.
Al Sharif was one of the most well-known Al Jazeera journalists active in the Gaza Strip and conveyed the on-ground situation through regular daily reports. Just before his death, he posted on X (formerly Twitter) to share details about concentrated airstrikes by Israeli forces in the eastern and southern regions of Gaza City.
The Israeli military acknowledged the airstrikes and claimed that Al Sharif was a member of the Palestinian armed group Hamas, emphasizing the legitimacy of the attacks. The Israeli military stated via Telegram that they "attacked a terrorist disguised as a journalist" and alleged that "Al Sharif played a role as a leader of a Hamas terrorist organization and promoted rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and military installations."
In response, Al Jazeera refuted the Israeli military's claims as unfounded. Mohamed Mohawad, Al Jazeera's bureau chief, told BBC that "Al Sharif was a recognized journalist and the only voice conveying the situation in the Gaza Strip to the world."
According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 186 journalists have been confirmed killed since Israel began military operations in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. CPJ criticized the Israeli military for repeatedly categorizing journalists as Hamas terrorists and attacking them without clear evidence. Sarah Kuda of CPJ strongly condemned, stating that "journalists are civilians and should never be targeted," adding that "those who ordered this murder must be held accountable."
Since the start of the war in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli government and Al Jazeera have been in conflict over the reporting of major events. Israel claims that Al Jazeera's war coverage is biased, and in April of last year, the Israeli Knesset passed the "Al Jazeera Law," allowing the government to prohibit the reporting of foreign media that would harm national security. Subsequently, in September, the bureau of Al Jazeera in Ramallah on the West Bank was raided and closed based on this law.