Israeli forces have killed five Al Jazeera journalists, including well-known correspondent Anas al-Sharif, in what media rights groups are calling a targeted attack.
The strike hit a media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on August 11, 2025.
Israel has admitted responsibility, claiming without evidence that al-Sharif was linked to Hamas’s armed wing.
Colleagues, press freedom advocates, and rights groups strongly reject this, calling the accusation fabricated and part of a pattern of targeting journalists in Gaza.
Al-Sharif was a respected voice reporting from Gaza throughout the war.
Before becoming a correspondent, he worked as a cameraman and had covered multiple previous conflicts.
In recent weeks, he publicly expressed fear for his life, saying the Israeli military had launched a campaign against him.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation accused Israel of violating international law and called for governments to go beyond “performative condemnations.”
Director Seth Stern said journalists like al-Sharif were the reason the world knew about Gaza’s suffering, and that killing them was meant to silence these truths.
Belgian MEP Marc Botenga called it part of “a war against the press,” noting nearly 200 journalists have been killed since late 2023 more than in any modern war.
The killings come as Australia and New Zealand consider recognising a Palestinian state, joining more than 147 countries that already have.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed his country will vote for Palestinian statehood at the UN General Assembly in September, calling it essential for peace.
Analysts say the timing of the strike is significant. Israel recently announced plans for a new offensive in Gaza City, and the journalists killed were among the few documenting events on the ground.
Despite the loss, colleagues vow to continue reporting. “Killing journalists will not silence Gaza’s story,” one Al Jazeera reporter said.
