Al Jazeera journalists killed in targeted Israeli airstrike – JURIST

Five Al Jazeera staff correspondents were reportedly killed late Sunday in a targeted Israeli strike on a press tent outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital.

The reported strike killed journalists Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. A freelance journalist, Mohammad al-Khaldi, was also killed, according to medics and eyewitnesses cited by the Committee to Protect Journalists. Funerals were held in Gaza City on Monday.

The strike occurred while journalists were reportedly in an identified media tent. The Israel Defence Forces claimed it specifically targeted al-Sharif, alleging he led a Hamas “terrorist cell” and advanced “rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and [Israeli] troops.”

Experts and observers have claimed the attack was supported by little evidence. The UN human rights office condemned the strike as a “grave breach of international humanitarian law,” calling for immediate, safe, and unhindered access to Gaza for journalists. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed grave concern and called for an immediate de-escalation. At the same time, German officials said Israel must explain why it disregarded journalists’ protection status, raising questions about the deaths of others in the same strike.

Committee to Protect Journalists claimed the August 10 attack raises the number of Al Jazeera staff journalists killed by Israel in Gaza during the war to 11. Eight freelancers have also been killed by Israeli military operations. The press group further contended that, in total, 192 journalists have been killed since October 7, 2023–most of them Palestinians killed by Israel.

CPJ regional director Sara Qudah said, “Israel is murdering the messengers,” asserting that the nation exhibits a pattern of accusations without credible proof, and called deliberate targeting of journalists a war crime under international law. Al Jazeera condemned what it called a “targeted assassination,” contending the killings aimed to silence reporting on famine and Israeli operations in Gaza City.

International press freedom groups, including the Foreign Press Association, denounced the killings, citing repeated smear campaigns against Gaza-based journalists and further calling out the escalated dangers amid Israel’s ban on independent international media access to Gaza.