Palestinians in Gaza mourn slain journalists at the hands of Israeli forces
In the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the killing of Anas al-Sharif, a 28-year-old Al Jazeera correspondent, has stirred international controversy. Al-Sharif was one of six journalists killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza City on Sunday.
Al-Sharif was a recognisable face on the channel, providing daily reports on the ongoing war from the ground in Gaza. According to local journalists who knew him, he had started his career with a Hamas communication office, where his role was to publicise events organised by the militant group that has exercised total control over Gaza since 2006. However, there is no credible evidence publicly available that al-Sharif was affiliated with Hamas as claimed by Israel.
Israel confirmed it had targeted al-Sharif, whom it labelled a "terrorist" affiliated with Hamas. However, Al Jazeera and independent sources have dismissed this allegation as baseless. The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned the strike and criticized Israel's pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence.
Al Jazeera called the attack that killed al-Sharif "a desperate attempt to silence voices exposing the Israeli occupation." The bodies of the journalists were carried through narrow alleys to their graves by mourners, including men wearing blue journalists' flak jackets.
The killing of al-Sharif is viewed by press freedom advocates as part of a broader pattern of attacks on media workers with unsubstantiated militancy claims. Palestine's journalists, like al-Sharif, have been the main source of war reporting inside Gaza because Israel restricts international media access.
Meanwhile, the Israeli offensive has taken a heavy toll on civilians. According to Gaza's health ministry, at least 61,430 Palestinians have been killed, figures the United Nations says are reliable. UN agencies warned last month that famine is unfolding in the territory, with Israel severely restricting the entry of aid.
The planned expansion of the Israeli war in the Gaza Strip has drawn condemnation from protesters in Israel and numerous countries, including Israeli allies. The plan, which includes conquering the remaining quarter of the territory not yet controlled by Israeli troops, including much of Gaza City and Al-Mawasi, has triggered bitter disagreement between the Israeli government and military leadership.
In a related development, Australia said on Sunday it would join a growing list of Western nations in recognizing a Palestinian state. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have condemned the planned expansion, stating that it will likely trigger another calamity in Gaza. Germany, a major weapons supplier and staunch ally, has suspended shipments to Israel of any arms that could be used in Gaza.
References:
[1] Committee to Protect Journalists. (2021, May 17). Israel's targeting of journalists in Gaza is unacceptable. Retrieved from https://cpj.org/2021/05/israels-targeting-of-journalists-in-gaza-is-unacceptable/
- The international controversy surrounding the killing of Al-Sharif has made headlines in the general news, with policy-and-legislation bodies and politics now addressing the issue of war-and-conflicts and their impact on crime-and-justice, such as the treatment of journalists.
- In the face of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, there is a rising concern about the safety of journalists, with the Committee to Protect Journalists, Al Jazeera, and independent sources repeatedly criticizing Israel's policy-and-legislation concerning war-and-conflicts, particularly their labeling of journalists as militants without providing credible evidence, a trend that is seen as part of a broader pattern of attacks on media workers.
