Global Outrage as Israeli Strike Kills Five Al Jazeera Journalists in Gaza

Gaza City - 11 August 2025: International condemnation and grief have followed the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, including well-known correspondent Anas al-Sharif. The attack, described by Al Jazeera as a targeted assassination, has sparked urgent calls for investigations and accountability.

Attack Near Gaza Hospital Claims Journalists' Lives

Late on Sunday, an Israeli drone strike hit a tent for media workers outside the main entrance of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The explosion killed seven people - among them Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammed Noufal, all part of Al Jazeera's news team. A local freelance reporter, Mohammad al-Khaldi, was also confirmed dead.

According to Reporters Without Borders, three other journalists sustained injuries in the same strike.

Just hours before the attack, al-Sharif, 28, posted on X (formerly Twitter) about Israel's "intense, concentrated bombardment" on parts of Gaza City. Known for reporting from the most dangerous front lines, al-Sharif had become one of Gaza's most recognised voices during the ongoing Israeli military campaign.

Palestinian Officials Call It Deliberate Targeting

The Palestinian mission to the UN accused Israel of intentionally assassinating al-Sharif and Qreiqeh, calling them "among the last remaining journalists in Gaza."
"They systematically documented Israel's genocide and starvation tactics," the mission said. "Israel's real enemy is the truth - and the journalists who expose its crimes."

Iran Demands Action, Not Just Condemnation

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei denounced the killings, saying a press badge is "no protection against war criminals who fear being exposed." He called for urgent international intervention, stressing that "indifference is complicity."

United Nations: 'Journalists Must Work Without Fear'

UN Secretary-General António Guterres's spokesperson, Stephane Dujarric, extended condolences to the victims' families and urged an investigation.
The UN Human Rights Office called the killings a "grave breach of international humanitarian law" and reiterated demands for unrestricted media access to Gaza.

Al Jazeera: 'Blatant Attack on Press Freedom'

Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the strike as a premeditated assault on journalism. The network said the Israeli military had "admitted to their crimes" and deliberately targeted the journalists' location, describing the attack as part of efforts to silence reporting on the "seizure and occupation" of Gaza.

Rights Groups Warn of Dangerous Precedent

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Amnesty International labelled the strike a war crime. CPJ's regional director, Sara Qudah, criticised Israel's repeated claims that slain journalists are militants without offering evidence - a pattern Amnesty said was intended to justify assassinations.

Al-Sharif had previously received Amnesty International Australia's Human Rights Defender Award in 2024 for his dedication to documenting abuses in Gaza.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urged the UN Security Council to act, warning that without consequences, more journalists would be killed. The group compared the strike to the 2023 killing of Al Jazeera reporter Ismail al-Ghoul, also branded a "terrorist" by Israeli authorities.

Press and Civil Rights Organisations Demand Justice

The US National Press Club called for a transparent investigation, stressing that "journalists must not be targeted in conflict zones." The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) accused Israel of conducting a systematic campaign to silence Palestinian journalists, describing the killings as "war crimes, plain and simple."