GAZA – An Israeli airstrike outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City has sparked international fury after killing five Al Jazeera journalists, including the well-known correspondent Anas al-Sharif, and staff members Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa.
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The attack, described by Al Jazeera as a “targeted assassination” and “premeditated attack on press freedom,” came under harsh condemnation from global organizations and governments alike.
The Israeli Defence Forces confirmed responsibility for the strike, alleging al-Sharif led a Hamas cell based on purported documentary evidence—accusations swiftly dismissed by Al Jazeera, press watchdogs, and the UN, who denounced the claims as unsubstantiated and part of a dangerous pattern of smearing journalists.
International condemnation was swift and widespread. The UN human rights office called the killings a “grave breach of international humanitarian law,” while the EU, the UK, and Germany demanded answers and accountability.
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Qatar’s Prime Minister condemned the deaths as “crimes beyond imagination.” Journalistic freedom organizations—including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and Amnesty International—labelled the strike a war crime and reiterated the imperative to safeguard media workers.
In Gaza, Palestinians mourned their loss, staging funerals and vigils. Ireland’s Tánaiste described the attack as silencing “some of the few journalistic voices left,” while protests erupted in Dublin and Belfast demanding an end to the violence and greater protections for the press.
This incident brings the number of journalists killed in the Gaza conflict to alarming levels. Press freedom advocates stress the urgent need for investigations into the killings and for conflict parties to uphold protections for journalists and civilians alike.
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Sources: Al Jazeera, AP News, Washington Post, Euronews, DW, Khaleej Times
