Five Al Jazeera journalists, including Anas Al-Sharif, were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City. Israel alleged Anas al-Sharif led a Hamas cell, a claim Al Jazeera denied, calling the strike a direct attack on press freedom. UN officials and journalist groups had previously warned of threats to Anas al-Sharif’s safety.
Five Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza City on Sunday, with the Israeli military alleging one of them, Anas Al-Sharif, headed a Hamas cell. The Qatari network condemned the attack, denying the claims and calling it a direct assault on press freedom. Palestinian journalists’ groups and UN officials have also criticised the strike, citing earlier warnings over Al-Sharif’s safety.
Who Was Anas al-Sharif?
Al-Sharif was one of the channel’s most recognisable faces working on the ground in Gaza, providing daily reports in regular coverage.
Following a press conference by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, where the premier defended approving a new offensive in Gaza, Anas al-Sharif posted messages on X describing “intense, concentrated Israeli bombardment” on Gaza City.
One of his final messages included a short video showing nearby Israeli strikes hitting Gaza City.
In July, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement calling for his protection as it accused the Israeli military’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee of stepping up online attacks on the reporter by alleging that he was a Hamas terrorist.
Following the attack, the CPJ said it was “appalled” to learn of the journalists’ deaths.
“Israel’s pattern of labelling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah.
“Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held accountable.”
The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate condemned what it described as a “bloody crime” of assassination.
Israel and Al Jazeera have had a contentious relationship for years, with Israeli authorities banning the channel in the country and raiding its offices following the latest war in Gaza. Qatar, which partly funds Al Jazeera, has hosted an office for the Hamas political leadership for years and been a frequent venue for indirect talks between Israel and the group.
Anas al-Sharif’s Last Post
This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. First, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings.
Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabalia refugee camp. My hope was that Allah would extend my life so I could return with my family and loved ones to our original town of occupied Asqalan (Al-Majdal). But Allah’s will came first, and His decree is final.
I have lived through pain in all its details, tasted suffering and loss many times, yet I never once hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or falsification—so that Allah may bear witness against those who stayed silent, those who accepted our killing, those who choked our breath, and whose hearts were unmoved by the scattered remains of our children and women, doing nothing to stop the massacre that our people have faced for more than a year and a half.
هذه وصيّتي، ورسالتي الأخيرة.
— أنس الشريف Anas Al-Sharif (@AnasAlSharif0) August 10, 2025
إن وصلَتكم كلماتي هذه، فاعلموا أن إسرائيل قد نجحت في قتلي وإسكات صوتي.
بداية السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته
يعلم الله أنني بذلت كل ما أملك من جهدٍ وقوة، لأكون سندًا وصوتًا لأبناء شعبي، مذ فتحت عيني على الحياة في أزقّة وحارات مخيّم جباليا للاجئين،…
I entrust you with Palestine—the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world, the heartbeat of every free person in this world. I entrust you with its people, with its wronged and innocent children who never had the time to dream or live in safety and peace. Their pure bodies were crushed under thousands of tons of Israeli bombs and missiles, torn apart and scattered across the walls.
I urge you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be bridges toward the liberation of the land and its people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland. I entrust you to take care of my family. I entrust you with my beloved daughter Sham, the light of my eyes, whom I never got the chance to watch grow up as I had dreamed.
I entrust you with my dear son Salah, whom I had wished to support and accompany through life until he grew strong enough to carry my burden and continue the mission.
I entrust you with my beloved mother, whose blessed prayers brought me to where I am, whose supplications were my fortress and whose light guided my path. I pray that Allah grants her strength and rewards her on my behalf with the best of rewards.
I also entrust you with my lifelong companion, my beloved wife, Umm Salah (Bayan), from whom the war separated me for many long days and months. Yet she remained faithful to our bond, steadfast as the trunk of an olive tree that does not bend—patient, trusting in Allah, and carrying the responsibility in my absence with all her strength and faith.
I urge you to stand by them, to be their support after Allah Almighty. If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. I testify before Allah that I am content with His decree, certain of meeting Him, and assured that what is with Allah is better and everlasting.
O Allah, accept me among the martyrs, forgive my past and future sins, and make my blood a light that illuminates the path of freedom for my people and my family. Forgive me if I have fallen short, and pray for me with mercy, for I kept my promise and never changed or betrayed it.
Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.
Anas Jamal Al-Sharif
06.04.2025
This is what our beloved Anas requested to be published upon his martyrdom.
Calling Al Sharif “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists,” Al Jazeera said in a statement the attack was a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza.”
The other journalists killed were identified as Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, Al Jazeera said.
Al Jazeera’s Statement
“Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City,” the Qatar-based broadcaster said.
“Anas al-Sharif, 28, was killed on Sunday after a tent for journalists outside the main gate of the hospital was hit. The well-known Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent reportedly extensively from northern Gaza.”
The channel said that five of its staff members were killed during the strike on a tent in Gaza City, listing the others as Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa.
In an emotional clip, an Al Jazeera anchor was seen fighting back tears as he reported on the death of his colleagues.
5 Al Jazeera Journalists Killed In Gaza S
Al Jazeera’s Statement
“Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City,” the Qatar-based broadcaster said.
“Anas al-Sharif, 28, was killed on Sunday after a tent for journalists outside the main gate of the hospital was hit. The well-known Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent reportedly extensively from northern Gaza.”
The channel said that five of its staff members were killed during the strike on a tent in Gaza City, listing the others as Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa.
In an emotional clip, an Al Jazeera anchor was seen fighting back tears as he reported on the death of his colleagues.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed that Anas Anas al-Sharif was the leader of a Hamas terrorist cell. According to its statement, Anas al-Sharif was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and troops. The military framed his killing as a targeted counterterrorism operation rather than an attack on media personnel.
Israel’s Remarks
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed that Anas Al-Sharif was the leader of a Hamas terrorist cell. According to its statement, Anas al-Sharif was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and troops. The military framed his killing as a targeted counterterrorism operation rather than an attack on media personnel.
🎯STRUCK: Hamas terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as an Al Jazeera journalist
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 10, 2025
Al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and advanced rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and IDF troops.
Intelligence and documents from Gaza, including rosters, terrorist training lists and… pic.twitter.com/ypFaEYDHse
Al Jazeera rejected the allegations outright, calling them unfounded and aimed at justifying the killing of a journalist who had reported from Gaza throughout the conflict. The network confirmed the deaths of Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammad Qraiqea, Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed Noufal in the same strike. An official at Shifa Hospital said seven people were killed in total.
UN And Press Freedom Groups Had Raised Alarm
Last month, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression Irene Khan publicly warned that Anas al-Sharif’s life was at risk. She stated that Israel’s accusations against him lacked substantiated evidence and risked being used to legitimise lethal targeting. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also urged the international community in July to take measures to ensure his safety.
Palestinian journalists’ associations called the killings an extension of what they describe as a pattern of deliberate targeting of reporters in Gaza. They say such incidents severely curtail the ability of the media to document conditions inside the enclave and erode the principle of press neutrality in conflict zones.
The Israeli military, however, maintains that militant operatives often embed themselves in civilian areas and media roles as a cover for operational activities. It argued that intelligence indicated Anas al-Sharif’s active role in coordinating rocket launches and other attacks. Critics note that such claims have rarely been independently verified in the Gaza conflict’s highly restricted reporting environment.
At least 186 journalists killed since 2023, says report
According to Al Jazeera, the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has been able to verify the killing of at least 186 journalists since October 7, 2023. At least 90 journalists have been imprisoned by Israel.The Israeli military has been systematically killing journalists, photographers and local media workers in the Gaza Strip since the start of the war in an attempt to silence their reports, as per Al Jazeera.
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