Israel kills Al Jazeera journalist, Claims Was Hamas leader
Israel’s military says it killed an Al Jazeera journalist in a Gaza airstrike on Sunday, accusing him of being a Hamas cell leader.
However, rights groups claimed he was targeted for his front-line reporting on the Gaza conflict, and Israel’s assertion lacked evidence.
Anas Al Sharif, 28, was one of four Al Jazeera journalists and an assistant killed in an attack on a tent near Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza City, Gaza officials and Al Jazeera claimed.
Al Jazeera described Al Sharif as “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists,” and claimed the incident was a “desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza.”
Journalist groups and Al Jazeera condemned the killings.
Other journalists killed included Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, and Mohammed Noufal, according to Al Jazeera.
The names of the five Al Jazeera journalists assassinated by Israel in a strike on their tent in Gaza on Sunday night:
— Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) August 10, 2025
• Anas Al Sharif
• Mohammed Qreiqea
• Ibrahim Zaher
• Mohammed Noufal
• Moamen Aliwa pic.twitter.com/fnTbZZXUa8
A press freedom organization and a UN expert had previously warned that Al Sharif’s life was at risk because of his reporting from Gaza.
Last month, UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan stated that Israel’s charges against him were baseless.
Al Jazeera reported that Al Sharif had left a social media message to be posted in the case of his death.
“…I never hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or misrepresentation, hoping that God would witness those who remained silent.”
Last October, Israel’s military designated Al Sharif as one of six Gaza journalists it claimed were members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
The ‘moral’ army cited documents that purported to show lists of people who finished training courses and received wages.
“Al Jazeera categorically rejects the Israeli occupation forces’ portrayal of our journalists as terrorists and denounces their use of fabricated evidence,” the network said in a statement at the time.
Al Jazeera Media Network condemns the targeted assassination of its correspondents Anas Al Sharif and Mohammeel Qraiqea, along with photographers Ibrahim Al Thaher, and Mohamed Nofal, by Israeli forces.#JournalismIsNotACrime pic.twitter.com/F3p9PbhGZF
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 11, 2025
In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists, which in July urged the international community to protect Al Sharif, said Israel had failed to provide any evidence to back up its allegations against him.
“Israel’s pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s director for the Middle East and North Africa.
Al Sharif, whose X account showed more than 500,000 followers, posted on the platform minutes before his death that Israel had been intensely bombarding Gaza City for more than two hours.
Israel and the US targeted and murdered this world-renown journalist just minutes ago. Will Western journalists speak up for for him? No, I don't expect they will. You all know why. #AnasAlSharif pic.twitter.com/hUEM6o2Nt8
— Dani Fethez (@DaniMet1) August 10, 2025
Palestinian militant group Hamas, which runs Gaza, said the killing may signal the start of an Israeli offensive.
“The assassination of journalists and the intimidation of those who remain paves the way for a major crime that the occupation is planning to commit in Gaza City,” Hamas said in a statement.
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he would launch a new offensive to dismantle Hamas strongholds in Gaza, where a hunger crisis is escalating after 22 months of war.
“Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues were among the last remaining voices in Gaza conveying the tragic reality to the world,” Al Jazeera said.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said 237 journalists have been killed since the war started on October 7, 2023.
The Committee to Protect Journalists said at least 186 journalists have been killed in the Gaza conflict.
Israel kills Al Jazeera journalist, Claims Was Hamas leader
