Widespread Criticism Directed Towards Israel Following the Assassination of an Al Jazeera Reporter in Gaza
Al Jazeera Journalists Killed in Gaza City: No Evidence of Hamas Links
In a tragic turn of events, five staff members of Doha-based Al Jazeera Network, including correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, were killed in a targeted Israeli strike in Gaza City on Monday. The journalists were working in densely populated areas during the Israeli airstrikes.
The killing of Al Jazeera journalists has been widely condemned as an unjustified targeting of the media. Al Jazeera itself has condemned the deliberate targeting of its journalists, calling it "a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza."
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) alleged that Anas al-Sharif and others were part of Hamas cells or linked to militant activities, showing what they say are documents to support this. However, there is no publicly verified evidence supporting these claims. Al Jazeera and the deceased journalists, as well as various international observers and experts, have described these accusations as unfounded. The UN Special Rapporteur on the situation also labeled Israel’s claims as unsubstantiated.
Anas al-Sharif, known as "the voice of Gaza," was a widely respected journalist who covered the war in Gaza extensively. His former colleague described him as a model of a journalist of a rare calibre, known for his accuracy and journalistic integrity. Al-Sharif operated primarily in the north of the Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, and reported on various events such as raids, ground operations, and the blockade on aid.
Israel has accused al-Sharif of being the "head of a terrorist cell" linked to Hamas, but provided no evidence to support the claim. After al-Sharif's death, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) posted allegations that he was masking as a journalist. However, a former colleague stated that al-Sharif spent more than two years almost permanently stationed in the journalists' tent, making it almost impossible to "run a terrorist cell" simultaneously.
The UN Security Council held an emergency session on the expansion of the Gaza military operation, and the United Nations Human Rights Office has condemned the killings, calling it a "grave breach of international humanitarian law." The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) strongly condemned the killings and Israel’s pattern of labeling journalists as militants without credible evidence, warning this undermines press freedom and may constitute war crimes.
Officials from Germany and the United Kingdom have also condemned Israel's targeting and killing of the media crew. The EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness, and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, has spoken out against the killings, calling it a "direct hit on freedom of the press."
However, some international media outlets are facing criticism for echoing the Israeli narrative without evidence. A former colleague expressed disappointment that some media outlets are ignoring al-Sharif's killing and repeating baseless accusations coming from a party that commits its crimes live on air. The former colleague also expressed dismay that the international community and media organizations continue to provide impunity for Israeli crimes.
[1] Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), "Israeli airstrike kills five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza," 15 May 2023. [online] Available at: https://cpj.org/2023/05/israeli-airstrike-kills-five-al-jazeera-journalists-in-gaza.php
[2] Amnesty International, "Israeli airstrike kills Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and four colleagues in Gaza," 15 May 2023. [online] Available at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/05/israeli-airstrike-kills-al-jazeera-journalist-anas-al-sharif-and-four-colleagues-in-gaza/
[3] Reporters Without Borders, "Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza," 15 May 2023. [online] Available at: https://rsf.org/en/news/al-jazeera-journalist-anas-al-sharif-killed-israeli-airstrike-gaza
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