Andrew Juma, DigitalWorldwideNews.com, Gaza City
August 11, 2025
Gaza holds funerals for five Al Jazeera journalists killed in an Israeli strike, sparking global outrage.
Thousands in Gaza City are mourning five Al Jazeera journalists killed in an Israeli airstrike on their tent near al-Shifa Hospital, an attack the network’s director called a “targeted assassination.” The strike, which killed seven total, targeted correspondent Anas al-Sharif, accused by Israel of Hamas ties—a claim the network denies.
On August 10, 2025, Gaza City residents held funerals for Al Jazeera journalists Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, killed in an Israeli airstrike on their tent outside al-Shifa Hospital. Mourners carried bodies in white shrouds, adorned with press vests, through devastated streets, chanting against the attack. The strike, late Sunday, killed seven, including two freelancers, and injured eight, amid escalating conflict.
Israel’s military admitted targeting Anas al-Sharif, alleging he led a Hamas cell launching rockets, citing Gaza documents not publicly shared. The network rejected the claims as baseless, noting Sharif’s accredited status and his public criticism of Hamas. The tent, marked with press signs, was hit during famine coverage, fueling accusations of deliberate targeting to silence journalists.
Anas al-Sharif, 28, a prominent correspondent, reported Gaza’s starvation crisis, leaving a wife and two children; his father died in a prior strike. Mohammed Qreiqeh, a fellow correspondent, and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa were also killed, alongside freelancers Mohammad al-Khaldi and one unnamed journalist. Their work documented over 60,000 deaths.
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman al-Thani labeled the attack “beyond imagination,” demanding justice. The UN condemned it as a humanitarian law violation, urging journalist protections. The Committee to Protect Journalists, citing 186 journalist deaths since October 2023, demanded accountability. The UK called for an independent probe. X posts, like @QudsNen, decried a “war crime,” while @IsraelFirstNews echoed Israel’s unverified Hamas claims.
The 2022 killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, shot during an Israeli raid, and the 2024 death of Ismail al-Ghoul, followed by Hamas accusations, mirror this incident. With over 180 journalists killed since October 2023, the highest in any modern conflict, Palestinians view such strikes as efforts to suppress famine reporting, deepening distrust in Israel’s military claims.
Local journalists like Sharif, denied international media access, face airstrikes, starvation, and smear campaigns. UN rapporteur Irene Khan noted “moral assassination” via Hamas allegations. Reporters endure personal losses—Sharif’s family was bombed—while documenting 1.1 million people facing famine. The lack of safe entry for global outlets forces reliance on freelancers risking their lives.
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