New York 11 August 2025 – United Nations
In a stark reminder of the extreme dangers faced by reporters in conflict zones, an Israeli strike in Gaza has killed five journalists working for the Al Jazeera news network, drawing swift and widespread condemnation from the United Nations and international media organizations. The incident, which occurred late Sunday evening, has reignited the debate over press freedom and the protection of journalists covering the ongoing conflict.
The strike, reportedly carried out by a drone, targeted a tent set up for journalists outside the main gate of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The tent was a known hub for reporters seeking more reliable electricity and internet connections to file their dispatches. The victims, whose funerals were held on Monday, included prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. A freelance journalist, Mohammad al-Khaldi, was also reported to have been killed in a nearby tent.
The Israeli military acknowledged the strike but claimed that Anas al-Sharif was a “Hamas military operative” posing as a journalist, and that he was the head of a terrorist cell responsible for advancing rocket attacks. This claim was immediately and vehemently rejected by Al Jazeera and numerous media freedom groups. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), for instance, stated that Israel has a “documented pattern” of making such accusations without providing credible evidence. Jodie Ginsberg, the CPJ’s chief executive, insisted that unless Israel can prove that al-Sharif was an active combatant, his killing is not justified under international law.
The UN has been particularly vocal in its condemnation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an independent and impartial investigation into the killings. His spokesman highlighted that these latest deaths underscore the “extreme risks” journalists face and stressed that media workers must be protected and allowed to carry out their work “free from fear and free from harassment.” The UN human rights agency has also weighed in, calling the strike a “grave breach of international humanitarian law.” Al Jazeera, in its own statement, described the attack as a “desperate attempt to silence voices exposing the Israeli occupation,” noting that al-Sharif and his colleagues were among the last journalists reporting from inside Gaza, as international media have been largely barred from entering the territory.
This tragic event comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defends his country’s plan for an expanded military operation in Gaza, a move that has been met with mounting domestic and international criticism. The deaths of the Al Jazeera journalists serve as a grim backdrop to the escalating tensions and a stark illustration of the human cost of the conflict.
