International condemnation of Israel's lethal attack on an Al Jazeera crew in Gaza, as expressed by the United Nations and various media organizations.
In the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine, a significant incident has raised concerns over compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL). On Sunday, Anas al-Sharif, a 28-year-old Al Jazeera correspondent, and four of his colleagues were killed in a targeted Israeli strike on a journalists' tent near a hospital in Gaza City.
According to international humanitarian law, journalists are protected civilians unless they directly participate in hostilities. However, there is no verified evidence that al-Sharif was engaged in such activities at the time of the strike. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has categorized al-Sharif’s killing among deliberate attacks on media workers and has criticized Israel for targeting journalists.
Israel has provided documents alleging al-Sharif's enlistment with Hamas in 2013, an injury report from 2017, and the name of his military unit and rank. Yet, the absence of such public proof and the context of al-Sharif’s killing suggest contravention of the principle of distinction, which mandates distinguishing between civilians and combatants.
The attack on the news team in Gaza City was followed by "repeated incitement" and calls by Israeli officials to target Sharif and his colleagues. The Israeli security cabinet had approved plans to send troops into Gaza City, a decision met with mounting domestic and international criticism.
Media freedom groups have condemned the Israeli strike on journalists, calling it a "grave breach of international humanitarian law." The hospital director in Gaza City confirmed the death of freelance reporter Mohammed Al-Khaldi in the same strike. Germany suspended shipments of any arms that could be used in Gaza, and the United Nations and humanitarian agencies have condemned the planned offensive, which could trigger another calamity in Gaza.
Al Jazeera described Anas al-Sharif as "one of Gaza's bravest journalists." The network stated that four other employees, including correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, were also killed in the strike.
The Israeli military has accused al-Sharif of being a "terrorist" affiliated with Hamas and heading a Hamas "terrorist cell." Yet, the CPJ's chief executive, Jodie Ginsberg, stated that international law is clear that active combatants are the only justified targets in a war setting.
Mourners carried the bodies of the journalists through narrow alleys to their graves in Gaza. Israel prevents international reporters from entering Gaza, except on occasional tightly controlled trips with the military. This restriction has made it difficult to independently verify the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the journalists.
In a statement, Australia announced it would join a growing list of Western nations in recognizing a Palestinian state. The UN human rights agency has called the Israeli offensive a "grave breach of international humanitarian law." As the conflict continues, the international community is closely watching events in Gaza and calling for compliance with international law to protect civilians, including journalists.
[1] Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), "Israeli airstrike kills Al Jazeera journalist in Gaza," 15 May 2023, https://cpj.org/2023/05/israeli-airstrike-kills-al-jazeera-journalist-in-gaza.php
[2] Amnesty International, "Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories: Anas al-Sharif: Evidence needed to prove journalist was a combatant," 16 May 2023, https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/05/israeloccupied-palestinian-territories-anas-al-sharif-evidence-needed-to-prove-journalist-was-a-combatant/
- The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has criticized Israel for targeting journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, who was killed in a targeted Israeli strike.
- According to the CPJ, international humanitarian law protects journalists unless they directly participate in hostilities, but there is no verified evidence that al-Sharif was engaged in such activities at the time of the strike.
- Media freedom groups have condemned the Israeli strike on journalists as a grave breach of international humanitarian law, and they have called for compliance with international law to protect civilians, including journalists.
- The Israeli military has accused al-Sharif of being a "terrorist" affiliated with Hamas, but the CPJ's chief executive, Jodie Ginsberg, has stated that international law only allows targeting active combatants in a war setting.
- The international community is closely watching events in Gaza and calling for compliance with international law to protect civilians, including journalists, amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
