Anas al-Sharif, a 28-year-old stringer for Al Jazeera, was killed in Gaza on Wednesday. He was assassinated in a targeted Israeli air strike. The Israeli military initially accused al-Sharif of being affiliated with Hamas. According to them, he headed a terrorist cell responsible for planning long-range rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and combatants. We will continue to demand accountability for the air strike that killed five Al Jazeera staff members. They were speaking from within the media tent, just outside the main entrance of al Shifa hospital, Gaza City.
Her death has raised fresh fears over the safety of journalists working in combat areas. In Gaza, media professionals are enduring escalating threats every day. Al-Sharif had recently posted on social media about the relentless bombings around Gaza City, ending his message with a poignant request: “Do not forget Gaza … and do not forget me in your righteous prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.”
Background on Anas al-Sharif
Anas al-Sharif was the Arabic language eastern U.S. correspondent for Al Jazeera. He reported on the continuing war and its effect on the people of the region. Through art, film and photography, his work unapologetically expressed the plight of all people living under constant bombardment in Gaza. Just prior to his death, al-Sharif expressed his fears for the future, stating, “This is my will and my final message. If these words of mine reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.”
Per the briefing from Israel’s military, the actions of al-Sharif allow him to hide the fact he was working within Hamas behind his status as a journalist. They claimed that under the guise of journalism he partook in actions that put Israeli lives at risk. “A short while ago, in Gaza City, the IDF struck the terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as a journalist for the Al Jazeera network,” an official statement read.
Regardless of the veracity of these allegations, Al Jazeera has firmly stood by its personnel and criticized the Israeli military’s actions in killing a journalist. The network described the labeling of its journalists as militants as part of a broader “campaign of incitement” against its reporters in Gaza.
Response from Advocacy Groups
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a furious response to the incident. Their joint call goes on to demand more from the international community and to safeguard media professionals operating in conflict areas. CPJ Middle East and North Africa director Sara Qudah emphasized the importance of protecting journalists, stating, “Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted.” She reiterated that the perpetrators of these heinous acts need to face justice.
In her recent intervention, Qudah focused on Israel’s routine practice of designating journalists as terrorists without any proven justification. That raises very troubling questions about what its purpose was and how cavalier it is regarding press freedom,” she added.
The murders of al-Sharif and his colleagues have produced worldwide condemnation. They underscore the extreme risks that journalists working on the frontlines of conflict must know—especially today. Advocacy groups are stepping up to call for more robust protections for members of the media. Yet these courageous people are too frequently placed in the line of fire of war.
Implications for Press Freedom
The Gaza killing of Anas al-Sharif raises troubling prospects for the state of press freedom and overall safety of journalists in Gaza. This continued hostility and targeting of media workers, particularly in conflict zones, further illustrates the faces behind the fight for those trying to document conflicts.
As tensions remain high in the region, advocacy groups have called for more accountability for actions against journalists and more measures to protect them. It is imperative the international community respond vigorously to these circumstances. Their actions will directly shape how, and if, media professionals are protected as they work in conflict zones around the world.
