Journalists and human rights organizations condemned the killing of six journalists in Gaza City last Sunday, calling for swift action on the matter.
Following the tragic incident, Reporters Without Borders (RSF)—a Paris-based press freedom group—condemned “with force and anger” the killing of Al Jazeera correspondent, Anas al-Sharif.
Citing the protection of journalists, the organization urged the United Nations (UN) Security Council to convene under Resolution 2222, pressing for “strong action” to halt such attacks.
Before the target airstrike, the Israeli army alleged that al-Sharif was a Hamas operative and accused the correspondent of being a terrorist posing as a journalist.
The allegations were eventually struck down by news network Al Jazeera and the journalist himself before his passing.
Echoing the statement, the RSF emphasized that the Israeli army’s allegations against the journalist were made “without evidence,” adding that it was a repetition of a “well-known tactic” used by the Israeli military.
Meanwhile, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) also condemned the killing in Gaza. Adding to the statement, CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah said that Israel is “murdering the messengers.”
“Israel wiped out an entire news crew. It has made no claims that any of the other journalists were terrorists. That’s murder. Plain and simple,” the statement read.
“It is no coincidence that the smears against al-Sharif — who has reported night and day for Al Jazeera since the start of the war — surfaced every time he reported on a major development in the war, most recently the starvation brought about by Israel’s refusal to allow sufficient aid into the territory,” it added.
Since 2023, al-Sharif has been one of Al Jazeera’s prominent reporters in Gaza City. As a result, al-Sharif had often been targeted by the Israeli army. Last month, he was accused of having been a member of Hamas’ military wing, Al-Qassam.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Arabic spokesperson Avichay Adraee falsely alleged that al-Sharif was a Hamas terrorist after the latter cried on air while reporting on starvation in Gaza.
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The CPJ came to the journalist’s defense and called for the latter’s protection in a July statement, sounding the alarm over the repeated threats made by Adraee against al-Sharif.
In contrast, the UN Human Rights called for the immediate, safe, and unhindered access to Gaza for all journalists.
“We condemn the killing by Israeli military of 6 Palestinian journalists by targeting their tent, in grave breach of international humanitarian law,” their caption read. “Israel must respect and protect all civilians, including journalists.”
The UN added that at least 242 Palestinian journalists have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
On Sunday, August 10, the Israeli military launched a targeted airstrike near the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City, killing several journalists inside a tent. The CPJ described the fatal killing as the “deadliest single attack” in the Israel-Gaza war.
