The Israel Defense Forces targeted and killed 5 Al Jazeera reporters in airstrikes on the Gaza Strip, reigniting the longstanding conflict between both sides. Israel has claimed that Al Jazeera acts as a spokesperson for armed groups such as Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, posing a threat to security. Israel's leadership, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has classified Al Jazeera as 'a spokesperson for Hamas' and has imposed a broadcasting ban since last year. In response, Al Jazeera has characterized these allegations as a media suppression based on fabricated evidence and has consistently reported on Israel's civilian casualties during the war in Gaza.
On the 10th (local time), Al Jazeera announced that 5 reporters were killed at a reporting site near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Among the deceased, reporter Anas Al-Sharif faced accusations from the Israel Defense Forces of being affiliated with the Hamas military organization. The Israel Defense Forces presented relevant documents claiming to prove this connection; however, foreign media were unable to verify the authenticity of these documents. Al Jazeera rebutted this, stating it was 'a deliberate attack aimed at silencing the press.'
Al Jazeera was established in 1996 with funding from the Qatari government and has positioned itself as an independent source of news in the Arab world. It has over 3,000 employees across 70 bureaus worldwide and has provided a platform for a variety of figures, from Israeli officials to leaders of armed groups. However, it has faced persistent criticism for allegedly amplifying Hamas's claims and justifying violence. In particular, there have been indications that it often portrays Hamas positively on its Arabic channel.
The conflict between Israel and Al Jazeera predates the Gaza war. A notable incident occurred in 2022 when Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, affiliated with Al Jazeera, was killed by gunfire originating from the direction of the Israel Defense Forces. Following this incident, Al Jazeera has consistently criticized Israel's attacks on journalists.
Al Jazeera has faced criticism not only from Israel but also from within Palestine. The Palestinian Authority also banned Al Jazeera's broadcasting and reporting activities in the West Bank last January, citing reasons that it 'incited rebellion and interfered in internal matters.' This measure was lifted in May but highlighted perceptions within Palestine that Al Jazeera is biased towards Hamas.
In addition, Al Jazeera has frequently encountered friction with other countries in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt blocked Al Jazeera's broadcasts in 2017, claiming that it supports terrorist organizations and the Muslim Brotherhood. In fact, Qatar has hosted Hamas's political office and has provided financial support to the Gaza Strip while maintaining ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Egypt closed Al Jazeera's local branch after ousting the Muslim Brotherhood regime in a coup in 2013. Al Jazeera denies any allegations of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.
Following a surprise attack led by Hamas in October 2023, Israel completely blocked access to the Gaza Strip for foreign journalists. As a result, Al Jazeera's local Palestinian correspondents have been responsible for a significant portion of the war coverage, further exacerbating tensions with Israel.
In this regard, The New York Times (NYT) analyzed, 'The controversy surrounding Al Jazeera is a complex issue intertwined not only with the evaluation of reporting content but also with the Middle East conflict, Qatar's diplomatic strategy, and internal political conflicts between Israel and Palestine.'