Israeli Airstrike Claims Lives of Journalists in Gaza
JERUSALEM (AP) — On Sunday, an airstrike by Israel’s military targeted a correspondent from Al Jazeera, resulting in the deaths of two journalists and at least six other individuals who were taking refuge outside the largest hospital complex in Gaza City.
Shifa Hospital officials reported that the victims included Al Jazeera reporters Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qreiqeh, alongside four other journalists and two civilians, according to hospital administrative director Rami Mohanna. The strike also caused damage to the entrance of the hospital’s emergency department.
Both Israeli forces and officials at Shifa Hospital confirmed the fatalities, which press advocacy groups termed as a retribution against journalists reporting on the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Later on Sunday, Israel’s military labeled al-Sharif as the head of a Hamas unit, a claim that both Al Jazeera and al-Sharif had previously rejected as unfounded.
Controversial Attribution of Blame
This incident marks the first instance since the conflict began where Israel’s military has promptly claimed responsibility for the death of a journalist in an airstrike. This follows earlier accusations made by Israeli army officials within the past year that al-Sharif and some other Al Jazeera journalists were affiliated with militant organizations.
Al Jazeera condemned the attack as a “targeted assassination” and linked al-Sharif’s death to the repeated allegations of his alleged involvement with Hamas, which both he and the network have rejected. The network emphasized that al-Sharif and his colleagues were among the last independent voices in Gaza, delivering crucial updates on the severe conditions faced by its residents.
Calls for International Action
At a memorial held on Monday, hundreds of mourners, including many journalists, gathered to pay respects to al-Sharif, Qreiqeh, and their fellow reporters. Ahed Ferwana from the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate expressed concerns that journalists are being deliberately targeted, urging the international community to take action.
The deaths of al-Sharif and Qreiqeh are part of a broader trend of violence against journalists in the region, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting that at least 186 reporters have been killed in Gaza, marking it as one of the deadliest conflicts for journalists in recent history.
