On August 11, the Israeli military confirmed that airstrikes in Gaza City killed Anas Al Sharif, a journalist at Al Jazeera, but accused him of being the leader of a Hamas unit responsible for rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers. The incident took place near Shifa Hospital, where a total of 6 people died, including 3 other journalists and 1 assistant.
Al Jazeera and other Palestinian press organizations strongly condemned the action, calling it a "disperate effort to cover up the voices" reflecting the situation in Gaza. Al Sharif is considered one of the most prominent reporters in the region, with more than 500,000 followers on social media. Before passing away, he still posted about the fierce storms that lasted for more than 2 hours.
The Israeli military said information about Al Sharif's role was based on documents and intelligence collected in Gaza. However, Ms. Irene Khan - UN special reporter - once said that these allegations have not been proven. In July, the Journalists' Protection Committee also called on the international community to protect Al Sharif.
Hamas condemned the killing, saying it was a move to pave the way for a big crime and could signal a new military campaign. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to launch a planned attack to destroy remaining Hamas bases in Gaza as the hunger crisis worsens after nearly two years of conflict.
According to the Gaza government's Hamas-run media office, since the conflict broke out on October 7, 2023, at least 237 journalists have been killed. Al Jazeera confirmed the death of Al Sharif and his colleagues as a great loss for reporting on the humanitarian situation in Gaza.
