Al Sharif, whose X account has more than 500,000 followers, posted on his account minutes before his death that Israel had been intensely bombarding Gaza City for more than two hours.
Palestinian journalists’ groups and Al Jazeera denounced the killings. The other journalists included Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa.
‘A desperate attempt to silence voices’
Calling al-Sharif “one of Gaza’s bravest journalists”, Al Jazeera said the attack was “a desperate attempt to silence voices in anticipation of the occupation of Gaza”.
“Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues were among the last remaining voices in Gaza conveying the tragic reality to the world,” Al Jazeera said.
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A press freedom group and a UN expert previously warned that al-Sharif’s life was in danger due to his reporting from Gaza. UN Special Rapporteur Irene Khan said last month that Israel’s claims against him were unsubstantiated.
In a statement, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said Israel had failed to provide any evidence to back up its allegations against him.
“Israel’s pattern of labelling 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.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said 237 journalists have been killed since the war started on October 7, 2023.
Displaced Palestinians walk through a makeshift camp along the beach in Gaza City on Sunday. Credit: AP
The London Telegraph reported that al-Sharif left a pre-recorded message to be published in the event of his death in which he said he had “lived the pain in all its details” and “tasted grief and loss repeatedly”.
“Despite that, I never hesitated to convey the truth as it is, without distortion or misrepresentation, hoping that God would witness those who remained silent, those who accepted our killing, and those who suffocated our very breaths,” the statement read.
A man-made crisis
Meanwhile, European representatives at the UN said famine was unfolding in Gaza and Israel’s plan to expand its offensive would only make things worse.
“Expanding military operations will only endanger the lives of all civilians in Gaza, including the remaining hostages, and result in further unnecessary suffering,” Denmark, France, Greece, Slovenia and the United Kingdom said in a joint statement.
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“This is a man-made crisis, and therefore urgent action is needed to halt starvation and to surge aid into Gaza,” they said.
Malnutrition is widespread in the enclave due to what international aid agencies say is a deliberate plan by Israel to restrict aid. Israel rejects that allegation, blaming Hamas for the hunger among Palestinians and saying a lot of aid has been distributed.
Five more people, including two children, died of malnutrition and starvation in Gaza in the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said, taking the number of deaths from such causes to 217, including 100 children.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said a further 23 people had been killed so far in the war by airdrops of aid that countries have resorted to due to the difficulties of getting aid in by road.
The US representative at the Security Council defended Netanhayu and said Washington was committed to addressing humanitarian needs, freeing hostages and achieving peace.
Netanyahu said Israel was working with Washington on creating a surge of aid into Gaza, including by land. After a conversation with Donald Trump, the prime minister’s office said he had thanked the US president “for his steadfast support of Israel”.
The war began on October 7, 2023 when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel and killed 1200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli figures. Israeli authorities say 20 of the remaining 50 hostages in Gaza are alive.
Israel’s offensive since then has killed more than 61,000 Palestinians, according to health officials, and left much of the territory in ruins.
Reuters, AP
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