Israel’s assassination of Al Jazeera journalist, Anas al-Sharif, and five of his colleagues on Sunday night underscores its systematic targeting of Palestinian journalists to silence Gaza’s last voices ahead of a wider campaign to reoccupy the enclave.
Over the past 22 months of genocide in Gaza, at least 274 journalists have been killed, according to Gaza’s Government Media Office. Rights groups have called it the deadliest conflict on record for the press.
The latest incident came late Sunday outside Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital, where an Israeli strike hit a journalists’ tent. Seven people were killed, including five Al Jazeera staff: prominent correspondent Anas al-Sharif, fellow reporter Mohammad Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammad Noufal.
Al-Sharif, 28, was one of Gaza’s most recognisable reporters, known for fearless frontline coverage, often documenting famine, malnutrition, and bombardments in real time. Moments before his death, he posted about “intense, concentrated bombardment” on Gaza City.
Israel admitted targeting al-Sharif, accusing him of leading a Hamas cell and advancing rocket attacks. It claimed to have documents as proof but provided no publicly verifiable evidence. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, and multiple rights groups dismissed the accusations as unsubstantiated and part of a pattern aimed at discrediting Palestinian journalists posthumously.
Al Jazeera, Amnesty International, the Palestinian mission to the UN, and other press freedom organisations condemned the killings as a “planned assassination” and “a desperate attempt to silence voices ahead of the occupation of Gaza.”
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The network accused Israel of fabricating evidence against its reporters and deliberately targeting them to block coverage of the genocide.
Israel’s assassination of Gaza’s journalists
The question many are now asking is, “Why is Israel deliberately targeting journalists in Gaza?” According to Gaza’s Government Media Office the answer lies in Israel’s next steps. They say the killings are intended to remove the last independent voices before a full occupation and possible annexation of Gaza City, ensuring that any future escalation or “major massacre” takes place without witnesses to broadcast it to the world.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, head of al-Shifa Hospital, told Anadolu: “The [Israeli] occupation is preparing for a major massacre in Gaza, but this time without sound or image… in the absence of the voice of Anas, Mohamed, Al Jazeera, and all satellite channels.”
Throughout the genocide, Israel has also barred international journalists from entering Gaza, leaving local reporters as the only on-the-ground witnesses. Al-Sharif was one of the last voices for the people of Gaza.
Hamas called the killings a “brutal crime” reflecting the collapse of international law, claiming the assassinations were meant to pave the way for a wider offensive in Gaza City.
In a will written on August 6 and released after his death, al-Sharif addressed his family, colleagues, and the Palestinian people.
He urged them to remain steadfast, care for his loved ones, and continue speaking the truth about Gaza. “If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice,” he wrote, expressing contentment with God’s decree and asking to be remembered in prayers.
Tributes and condemnations
Tributes poured in globally, with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s spokesperson offering condolences and calling for an investigation. Amnesty International remembered al-Sharif as “a brave and extraordinary” reporter who in 2024 received its Human Rights Defender Award. The CPJ called the killings part of a decades-long pattern of Israel targeting Palestinian journalists, and said those responsible must be held accountable.
Other Al Jazeera journalists have been killed during the genocide, including Ismail al-Ghoul, Rami al-Rifi, and Hossam Shabat, along with the family of chief correspondent Wael al-Dahdouh. The network says these are not isolated cases but part of a sustained campaign against its staff.
International media warn that the killing of Gaza’s last major voices is compounded by starvation, as many journalists are now unable to feed themselves due to Israel’s blockade.
Al-Sharif was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning photography team in 2024 documenting the genocide. Despite losing his father in an Israeli strike in December 2023, he refused to leave northern Gaza, becoming a symbol of journalistic resistance.
Al Jazeera called on the international community and all relevant organisations to take decisive measures to halt the ongoing genocide and end the deliberate targeting of journalists. It warns that impunity will embolden Israel to silence the remaining voices in Gaza, ensuring future atrocities are not exposed and reported.
An infographic published by Anadolu Agency shows the faces of 238 journalists killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, 2023. It serves as a stark visual reminder of the deadly toll on the press amid the ongoing genocide, highlighting the human cost behind the statistics.
With at least 61,400 Palestinians murdered and Gaza’s infrastructure shattered, press advocates say the deaths of al-Sharif and his team highlight a systematic effort to clear the path for Israel’s next moves without cameras to capture the cost.
