Israel repeatedly employs lethal force in ways that lead to the deaths of journalists in Gaza
In a controversial incident, Anas al-Sharif, a prominent journalist for Al Jazeera, was deliberately killed by Israeli forces on Sunday. The Israeli military claimed that al-Sharif was a member of Hamas's military wing and accused him of heading a Hamas cell involved in rocket attacks. However, Al Jazeera and other sources strongly dispute this claim, highlighting that al-Sharif was a journalist reporting extensively on Gaza and was targeted because of his coverage, not due to any militant affiliation.
The UN special rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories also condemned threats against al-Sharif by the Israeli army, and Al Jazeera denounced what it called a campaign of incitement against al-Sharif by Israel. The independent verification of al-Sharif's purported involvement with Hamas has yet to materialize, and no answer has been forthcoming from the Israeli government regarding evidence to substantiate these accusations.
This incident is part of a pattern targeting journalists covering Gaza. Tens of thousands of civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes or by accompanying injury, starvation, and disease. Responsible governments must prove that those they target in wartime posed an armed threat.
Israeli forces have been tying Palestinian detainees to military jeeps and have posted footage of themselves destroying civilian homes and infrastructure. Attacks that provoke international outrage are typically followed by dissembling and obfuscation, often an investigation conducted by Israel itself that is often inconclusive.
Corroborating evidence is rarely presented after such attacks. Al Jazeera and journalists' groups have denied the accusations made by the Israeli military. Al Sharif had left a social media message to be posted in the event of his death, which read, "I never hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or misrepresentation, hoping that God would witness those who remained silent."
The strike on the journalists' tent near Al Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza city is part of a pattern of lethal force used by Israel against non-combatants it claims to be "terrorists". Since Israeli forces invaded Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks nearly two years ago, the list of dead non-combatants has continued to grow, including doctors, paramedics, local journalists, and UN staff.
UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees, has suffered nearly 350 casualties from its staff since Israeli forces launched their latest campaign in Gaza. The Israeli military's claims that al-Sharif was head of a Hamas terrorist cell posing as a journalist have been met with scepticism and condemnation from the international community. The message is clear: the Israeli government is operating with increasingly less legal or moral restraints.
- The Israeli military's claim about Anas al-Sharif being a member of Hamas's military wing and heading a Hamas cell is met with scepticism and condemnation from the international community, especially after the incident at Gaza.
- The independent verification of Anas al-Sharif's purported involvement with Hamas has yet to materialize, and no answer has been forthcoming from the Israeli government regarding evidence to substantiate these accusations, underlining the need for transparency in such matters.
- In general-news, the pattern of lethal force used by Israeli forces against non-combatants, such as doctors, paramedics, local journalists, and UN staff, is a cause for concern, highlighting the need for responsible governance in war-and-conflicts.
- Al Jazeera and journalists' groups have strongly disputed the Israeli military's accusations against Anas al-Sharif, emphasizing their commitment to unbiased reporting, particularly in war-stricken locations like Palestine, and the importance of freedom of the press for democracy and justice.
