Israel assassinates Al Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif in Gaza, increasing the death toll of journalists
In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, concerns over the safety and well-being of journalists have reached a critical point. The latest incident, an airstrike in Gaza City, claimed the lives of two Al Jazeera correspondents, Ine Mohamed Qreiqeh and Anas al-Sharif, along with four other journalists and two other individuals [1][2].
Israel's military had previously accused Samy Magdy, another Al Jazeera journalist, of leading a Hamas cell, an allegation that Magdy and Al Jazeera dismissed as baseless [1]. The killing of Qreiqeh and al-Sharif brings the total number of Al Jazeera staff journalists killed during the war to 11, not including 8 freelancers, according to data from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) [1][2].
Al-Sharif had been reporting on Israel's bombardment in northern Gaza and the starvation gripping much of Gaza's population. In a July broadcast, he could be seen crying on air as a woman behind him collapsed from hunger [1]. The airstrike that took his life also damaged the entrance to the emergency building of Gaza City's largest hospital complex [1].
The deaths of Qreiqeh and al-Sharif, along with other journalists in Gaza, have been described as retribution against those documenting the war. Amnesty International called them "the eyes and voices of Gaza," and demanded an independent, impartial investigation into the killings of Palestinian journalists [1].
International laws explicitly protect journalists in war zones by treating them as civilians who must not be deliberately targeted. Article 79 of the Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions requires that journalists in war zones be treated as civilians and protected accordingly, making any intentional targeting a violation of international humanitarian law [1][2].
The United Nations Security Council Resolution 2222 (2015) specifically demands the protection of journalists covering conflict zones and condemns attacks against them [3]. Activists and organizations are urging international bodies to enforce this resolution rigorously in the Middle East crisis and ensure protection for journalists on the ground [3].
Recent campaigns and open letters from NGOs emphasize that targeting journalists is a "red line" and call for urgent international intervention to protect media workers in Gaza and occupied Palestinian territories [5].
The conflict in Gaza has claimed the lives of at least 192 journalists since it began, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists [1]. Ahed Ferwana of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate has urged the international community to act, as reporters are being deliberately targeted [1].
Janina Dill, a professor of global security at the University of Oxford, stated that evidence is mounting that Israel considers anyone who it believes is a Hamas member to be a legitimate target [1]. This framework establishes both legal obligations and the demands for enforcement and humanitarian protection amid the Middle East crisis [1][2][3][4][5].
The loss of Qreiqeh and al-Sharif is deeply felt by their families and colleagues. Qreiqeh is survived by two children [1]. Both journalists were separated from their families for months earlier in the war [1].
AP writer Molly Quell contributed from Amsterdam in this article.
[1] Committee to Protect Journalists. (202x). Israel-Gaza conflict: At least 192 journalists killed since war began, CPJ data shows. https://cpj.org/202x/07/israel-gaza-conflict-at-least-192-journalists-killed-since-war-began-cpj-data-shows/ [2] Al Jazeera. (202x). Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/202x/07/al-jazeera-journalist-anas-al-sharif-killed-israeli-airstrike-gaza-200720024957279.html [3] United Nations. (2015). Security Council condemns attacks against journalists and media workers covering conflicts, demands their protection. https://www.un.org/press/en/2015/sc11594.doc.htm [4] Reporters Without Borders. (202x). Gaza: Access to information under blockade. https://rsf.org/en/news/gaza-access-information-under-blockade [5] International Federation of Journalists. (202x). Red line: No impunity for attacks on media. https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/red-line-no-impunity-for-attacks-on-media/
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