CPJ, rights groups denounce Israel claim vs. Al Jazeera journalists killed in Gaza
CAIRO/JERUSALEM — A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday in an attack condemned by journalists and rights groups.
Israel's military said it targeted and killed Anas Al Sharif, alleging he had headed a Hamas militant cell and was involved in rocket attacks on Israel.
Al Jazeera rejected the assertion and before his death, Al Sharif had also rejected earlier claims by Israel that he was connected to Hamas.
An entire news crew working for Al Jazeera was killed by Israel on August 10. IAmong them was Anas Al-Sharif, a prominent journalist who had been the recent target of a smear campaign by Israel's military.
'Israel's pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing… — Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) August 11, 2025
Al Sharif, 28, was among a group of four Al Jazeera journalists and an assistant who died in a strike on a tent near Al Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza City, Gaza officials and Al Jazeera said. An official at the hospital said two other people were also killed in the strike.
A sixth journalist, Mohammad Al-Khaldi, a local freelance reporter, was also killed in the airstrike, medics at Al Shifa Hospital said on Monday.
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."
The other journalists killed were Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, Al Jazeera said.
On Monday, people gathered at Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in the heart of the Gaza Strip to mourn the journalists. Friends, colleagues and relatives embraced and consoled one another, many wiping away tears as they bid farewell.
Al Sharif was previously part of a Reuters team which in 2024 won a Pulitzer Prize in the category of Breaking News Photography for coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
The Israeli military said in a statement that Al Sharif headed a Hamas cell and "was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF (Israeli) troops," citing intelligence and documents found in Gaza as evidence.
Journalist groups and Al Jazeera denounced the killings.
Journalist Anas al-Sharif along with four other Al Jazeera staff have been killed by an Israeli attack which targeted a tent for the press outside al-Shifa Hospital's main gate. pic.twitter.com/hfwWdDCCji — Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 11, 2025
The war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza is the deadliest on record for journalists, according to the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs' Costs of War project.
The Hamas-run Gaza government media office said 238 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.
A press freedom group and a United Nations 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.
Pre-recorded message
Al Jazeera said Al Sharif had left a social media message to be posted in the event of his death that read, ."..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 had named Al Sharif as one of six Gaza journalists it alleged were members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, citing documents it said showed lists of people who completed training courses and salaries.
'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.
The Committee to Protect Journalists, which in July urged the international community to protect Al Sharif, said in a statement that 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.
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.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will 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. — Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
GMA Network
9 minutes ago
- GMA Network
Pentagon Golden Dome to have 4-layer defense system, slides show
The Pentagon building is seen in Arlington, Virginia, US October 9, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo WASHINGTON - The Trump administration's flagship Golden Dome missile defense system will include four layers — one satellite-based and three on land — with 11 short-range batteries located across the continental US, Alaska and Hawaii, according to a US government slide presentation on the project first reported by Reuters. The slides, tagged 'Go Fast, Think Big!' were presented to 3,000 defense contractors in Huntsville, Alabama, last week and reveal the unprecedented complexity of the system, which faces an ambitious 2028 deadline set by US President Donald Trump. The system is estimated to cost $175 billion, but the slides show uncertainties still loom over the basic architecture of the project because the number of launchers, interceptors, ground stations, and missile sites needed for the system has yet to be determined. "They have a lot of money, but they don't have a target of what it costs yet," said one US official. So far Congress has appropriated $25 billion for Golden Dome in Trump's tax-and-spend bill passed in July. Another $45.3 billion is earmarked for Golden Dome in his 2026 presidential budget request. Intended as a multi-layered missile defense shield for the United States, Golden Dome draws inspiration from Israel's Iron Dome, but is significantly bigger due to the geography it will need to protect and the complexity due to the varied threats it will face. According to the slides, the system architecture consists of four integrated layers: a space-based sensing and targeting layer for missile warning and tracking as well as "missile defense" and three land-based layers consisting of missile interceptors, radar arrays, and potentially lasers. One surprise was a new large missile field — seemingly in the Midwest according to a map contained in the presentation — for Next Generation Interceptors (NGI) which are made by Lockheed Martin and would be a part of the "upper layer" alongside Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) Aegis systems which are also made by Lockheed. NGI is the modernized missile for the Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) network of radars, interceptors and other equipment — currently the primary missile defense shield to protect the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles from rogue states. The US operates GMD launch sites in southern California and Alaska. This plan would add a third site in the Midwest to counter additional threats. Other technical hurdles the slides identified included communication latency across the "kill chain" of systems. Contractors such as Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, RTX, and Boeing have a variety of missile defense systems. Notably, the slides did not mention Elon Musk's SpaceX, which was part of a bid for Golden Dome contracts alongside software maker Palantir and defense systems manufacturer Anduril. The Pentagon said it is gathering information "from industry, academia, national labs, and other government agencies for support to Golden Dome" but it would be "imprudent" to release more information on a program in these early stages. One key goal for Golden Dome is to shoot targets down during their 'boost phase,' the slow and predictable climb through the Earth's atmosphere of a missile. Rather, it seeks to field space-based interceptors that can more quickly intercept incoming missiles. The presentation highlighted that the United States "has built both interceptors and re-entry vehicles" but has never built a vehicle that can handle the heat of reentry while targeting an enemy missile. The last lines of defense dubbed the "under layer" and "Limited Area Defense" will include new radars and current systems like the Patriot missile defense system and a new "common" launcher that will launch current and future interceptors against all threat types. These modular and relocatable systems would be designed to minimize reliance on prepared sites, allowing for rapid deployment across multiple theaters. Space Force General Michael Guetlein, confirmed last month to lead the Golden Dome project, has 30 days from his July 17 confirmation to build a team, another 60 days to deliver an initial system design, and 120 days to present a full implementation plan, including satellite and ground station details, people briefed on a memo signed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have told Reuters. —Reuters
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
UN chief puts Israel, Russia 'on notice' over conflict-related sexual violence accusations
UNITED NATIONS —United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Israel and Russia on Tuesday that he has significant concerns about patterns of certain forms of sexual violence by their armed and security forces, according to a report seen by Reuters. The alleged crimes included incidents of genital violence, prolonged forced nudity of captives, and abusive and degrading strip searches aimed at humiliation and interrogation. In his annual report to the Security Council on conflict-related sexual violence, Guterres put Israel and Russia "on notice" that they could be listed next year among parties "credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence." The warning resulted from "significant concerns regarding patterns of certain forms of sexual violence that have been consistently documented by the United Nations," he wrote. Israel's U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon described the concerns as baseless accusations. "The U.N. must focus on the shocking war crimes and sexual violence of Hamas and the release of all hostages. Israel will not shy away from protecting its citizens and will continue to act in accordance with international law," Danon said in a statement. Palestinian militants Hamas - whose Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel triggered the current war in Gaza - were listed in Guterres' report on Tuesday as a group "credibly suspected of committing or being responsible for patterns of rape or other forms of sexual violence" in armed conflict. 'We categorically reject all these allegations," senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters, adding in reference to Israeli remarks: 'These are certainly new attempts to use lies to divert attention from the ongoing brutal crimes committed by this fascist government and its army against our people in Gaza." 'Credible information' In his warning to Israel, Guterres said he was "gravely concerned about credible information of violations by Israeli armed and security forces" against Palestinians in several prisons, a detention center and a military base. "Cases documented by the United Nations indicate patterns of sexual violence such as genital violence, prolonged forced nudity and repeated strip searches conducted in an abusive and degrading manner," he wrote in the report. While Israeli authorities had engaged with his special envoy on sexual violence in conflict over the past year, Guterres said "limited information has been provided on accountability measures undertaken in relation to alleged incidents of sexual violence, despite witness testimony and digital evidence of Israeli soldiers committing such violations." Russia's mission to the U.N. in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Guterres said Russian authorities have not engaged with his special envoy. Guterres wrote that he was "gravely concerned about credible information of violations by Russian armed and security forces and affiliated armed groups" primarily against Ukrainian prisoners of war, in 50 official and 22 unofficial detention facilities in Ukraine and Russia. "These cases comprised a significant number of documented incidents of genital violence, including electrocution, beatings and burns to the genitals, and forced stripping and prolonged nudity, used to humiliate and elicit confessions or information," he said. Russia launched its full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in February 2022. —Reuters
GMA Network
5 hours ago
- GMA Network
Russia tries to make sudden advance in Ukraine before Trump-Putin summit
T-shirts with images of Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump are displayed for sale at a gift shop in central Moscow, Russia, August 12, 2025. (REUTERS/Yulia Morozova) MOSCOW —Russian forces have made a sudden thrust into eastern Ukraine near the coal mining town of Dobropillia, a move that may be an attempt to increase the pressure on Kyiv to give up land as the U.S. and Russian presidents prepare to meet. Ukraine's authoritative DeepState war map showed on Tuesday that Russian forces had advanced by at least 10 km (six miles) north in two prongs in recent days, part of their drive to take full control of Ukraine's Donetsk region. The advance is one of the most dramatic in the last year, although military analysts said the Russians were using small groups of soldiers to try to establish footholds and that it was uncertain if they could maintain their positions in the face of a Ukrainian pushback. DeepState said the Russians had surged forward near three villages on a section of the frontline associated with the Ukrainian towns of Kostyantynivka and Pokrovsk, which Moscow is trying to encircle by exploiting Kyiv's lack of manpower. "The situation is quite chaotic, as the enemy, having found gaps in the defence, is infiltrating deeper, trying to quickly consolidate and accumulate forces for further advancement," DeepState said on its Telegram channel. U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to discuss a possible deal to end the war in Ukraine when they meet in Alaska on Friday. Unconfirmed media reports say Putin has told Trump he wants Ukraine to hand over the part of the Donetsk region that Russia does not control. The Russian Defence Ministry said units of its army grouping "Centre" had improved their positions on the edge of the frontline. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that groups of Russian soldiers had advanced about 10 kilometres in several places. "They are without equipment, only weapons in their hands. Some have already been found, partly destroyed, partly captured. We will find and destroy the rest in the near future," he said. Zelenskiy said the Russian push was part of an attempt by Moscow to shape the narrative ahead of the U.S.-Russia summit to show that Russia was "moving forward and Ukraine is losing". Pasi Paroinen, a military analyst with the Finland-based Black Bird Group, said the situation had escalated rapidly, with Russian forces infiltrating past Ukrainian lines to a depth of roughly 17 km (10 miles) in the past three days. "Forwardmost Russian units have reportedly reached the Dobropillia – Kramatorsk road T0514 and Russian infiltration groups have also been reported near Dobropillia proper," he wrote on X. Pro-Ukrainian open source military analysts were divided on how significant the development was, with some saying that Russia's tactic of sending small groups to quickly seize but not necessarily hold territory for long had made mapping the war much harder. Konrad Muzyka, director of Rochan Consulting, said the Russian thrust, although it appeared sudden, was the culmination of more than a week of infiltration and positional gains. Leverage Tatarigami_UA, a former Ukrainian army officer whose Frontelligence Insight analysis tracks the conflict, posted: "In both 2014 and 2015, Russia launched major offensives ahead of negotiations to gain leverage. The current situation is serious, but far from the collapse some suggest." Sergei Markov, a former Kremlin adviser, said the Russians had been able to advance amid "a partial collapse in the front" due to Ukraine's shortage of soldiers. "This breakthrough is like a gift to Putin and Trump during the negotiations," Markov said, suggesting that, if sustained, it could increase pressure on Kyiv to cede some land to prevent the Russian army eventually taking the rest of Donetsk by force. To do that, though, Russian forces would first need to take control of Sloviansk, Kramatorsk, Druzhkivka and Kostyantynivka - which Russian military analysts call "fortress cities". Zelenskiy has publicly pushed back against the idea of ceding territory to Russia, saying any peace deal must be a just one. Bohdan Krotevych, former chief of staff of Ukraine's Azov brigade and a National Guard lieutenant colonel, took to X late on Monday to warn Zelenskiy of the threat, saying the frontline in the area was "a complete mess". —Reuters
