A significant crowd, including numerous journalists, came together to pay their respects to two Al Jazeera correspondents, Anas al-Sharif and Mohamed Qreiqeh, who were among six journalists killed in what was termed a targeted Israeli airstrike. The Qatari news organisation sharply condemned these deaths as a “targeted assassination,” holding Israeli officials accountable for incitement and reiterating that al-Sharif and his colleagues represented vital, reliable voices from Gaza, sharing unvarnished coverage of the dire conditions faced by civilians.
This incident marked a disturbing milestone in an ongoing conflict, being the first time Israel’s military took swift responsibility for the death of a journalist amidst the carnage of the past 22 months, which has been noted as one of the deadliest conflicts for journalists in contemporary history. Al-Sharif, in his final statements, emphasised his unwavering commitment to portray the truth. Mourners gathered at Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, where the deceased lay covered in white shrouds.
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate claimed these attacks were deliberate attempts to silence journalists, calling for immediate international intervention. Al-Sharif, who had joined Al Jazeera shortly after the conflict commenced, notably reported on the impacts of Israeli bombardments and rising starvation in Gaza. He had previously shown emotional distress during a broadcast when covering the dire impacts of hunger on the local populace.
Press advocates expressed concerns regarding an Israeli “smear campaign” aimed at discrediting journalists, especially after clips of al-Sharif’s emotional reports gained traction online. Israeli military claims suggested al-Sharif was linked to Hamas, a statement the journalist and his network have consistently repudiated.
The airstrike also resulted in casualties beyond the journalist community, leading to claims of targeted retribution against those documenting the Gaza conflict. Tragically, both correspondents had been separated from their children for extended periods due to the ongoing war, reunions that were fraught with emotional distance.
Critics, including the Committee to Protect Journalists, voiced outrage over the airstrike, questioning Israel’s approach toward media freedom and the baseless accusations levelled against journalists. The international media has largely been barred from Gaza during the conflict, with Al Jazeera being one of the few outlets maintaining a significant journalistic presence there.
Al-Sharif’s passing occurred against the backdrop of allegations of systematic targeting by Israeli forces, aimed at obstructing the documentation of their military conduct, which the UN has since condemned as a significant violation of international humanitarian law. The ongoing war has seen at least 186 journalists lose their lives, leading many to declare it the most perilous conflict for the press in recent history.