An Israeli airstrike killed Al Jazeera correspondent Anas al-Sharif and four fellow journalists in Gaza City, the broadcaster said.
Al-Sharif, 28, one of the TV news channel’s most prominent voices in Gaza, was killed along with reporter Mohammed Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa.
The Israeli strike targeted a tent where the journalists were sheltering at the Al Shifa medical complex in Gaza City, hospital director Dr Muhammad Abu Salmiya told The Independent.
He said a total of seven people were killed in the attack.
“This is my last will and testament,” a lengthy heart-breaking statement posted to Al-Sharif’s X account after his death read. “If these words of mine reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.”
“Do not forget Gaza,” the post concluded. “And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, warned last month it was gravely concerned for Al-Sharif’s safety as he was being “targeted by an Israeli military smear campaign” and the unfounded accusations “represented an effort to manufacture consent to kill Al-Sharif”.
Al Jazeera denounced the “targeted assassination” of its crew as “yet another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom”.
The broadcaster said Israel had killed 10 of its journalists during the war on Gaza so far, including Samer Abudaqqa, Ismael Al-Ghoul, Ahmed Al-Louh, Hossam Shabat and Hamza Dahdouh – son of the channel’s Gaza bureau chief Wael Dahdouh – as well as many of the family members of its employees.
“Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues were among the last remaining voices in Gaza conveying the tragic reality to the world,” Al Jazeera said.
Dr Salmiya said the latest Israeli strike damaged a section of the hospital’s emergency department. He said his message was to “stop the war of extermination on Gaza”.
“Protect medical facilities, medical personnel, and journalists, allow medicine and food into Gaza, and open the crossings,” he pleaded.
The Israeli military alleged on Sunday Al-Sharif “posed as a journalist”, confirming it had targeted and killed him.
“Anas al-Sharif served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organisation and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the military said.
