Latest news with #Mohammed Qreiqeh
Jordan Times
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Jordan condemns Israeli targeting of journalists in Gaza
AMMAN — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strongly condemned Israel's 'systematic' targeting of journalists by in Gaza, following the killing of four media professionals in the Strip. In a statement on Sunday, the ministry denounced the killing of Al Jazeera correspondents Anas Al Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with cameramen Ibrahim Al Zaher and Mohammed Noufal. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ambassador Sufian Qudah called the incident a 'war crime,' emphasising that targeting journalists constitutes a clear violation of international law, including international humanitarian law and the 1949 Geneva Convention on the protection of civilians during armed conflict. 'These repeated attacks on media personnel are unacceptable and must not go unpunished,' Qudah said, adding that the Kingdom holds the Israeli government fully responsible for the 'deliberate efforts to silence independent reporting from Gaza.' Qudah urged the international community to take immediate action to stop the violence, provide protection for journalists, medical workers, and humanitarian organisations operating in the besieged territory, and to uphold the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to establish an independent state. He also called for accountability for those responsible for the crimes against civilians and media professionals.
Jordan Times
a day ago
- Politics
- Jordan Times
Deadly strike on Al Jazeera crew sparks outcry over journalist safety
AMMAN — Five Al Jazeera journalists were killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike near Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, prompting renewed calls for the protection of media workers in conflict zones and raising serious questions about the targeting of journalists under international law. Al Jazeera confirmed the deaths of correspondent Anas Al Sharif, 28, reporter Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and driver and camera assistant Mohammed Noufal. The group was working in a tent used by media personnel near the hospital's main entrance when the strike occurred. Just hours before his death, Al Sharif shared a poignant message on social media: 'If this madness does not end, Gaza will be reduced to ruins, its people's voices silenced, their faces erased, and history will remember you as silent witnesses to a genocide you chose not to stop.' The Israeli military later acknowledged Al Sharif was the intended target, alleging he was a Hamas operative 'posing as a journalist.' However, no public evidence has been provided to substantiate this claim. The labeling of Palestinian journalists as militants has drawn sharp criticism from international press freedom organizations. 'Israel's pattern of accusing journalists without credible proof raises grave concerns about its respect for press freedom,' said Sara Qudah, Middle East and North Africa Programme Coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 'Israel's pattern of accusing journalists without credible proof raises grave concerns about its respect for press freedom. Journalists are civilians and must never be targeted. Those responsible for these killings must be held to accountable,' she said. 'This is a pattern we've seen from Israel - not just in the current war, but in the decades preceding - in which typically a journalist will be killed by Israeli forces and then Israel will say after the fact that they are a terrorist, but provides very little evidence to back up those claims," CPJ's CEO Jodie Ginsberg told the BBC. Record toll on journalists According to CPJ data, at least 186 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, including 178 Palestinians, two Israelis, and six Lebanese — making it the deadliest conflict for journalists on record. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) estimates that more than 35 journalists may have been deliberately targeted, while Gaza's Government Media Office places the total journalist death toll at 237. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) reports that at least 189 journalists have been killed in Gaza, with 175 of them being Palestinians. The IFJ emphasised that journalists in Gaza face disproportionate risks, with fatalities exceeding 10 per cent of the total media workforce in the region, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures. Accusations of targeting and impunity Yihya Shaqir, a media expert, condemned the attack, stating that "the Israeli aggression on Gaza has killed approximately 230 journalists. 'Journalists have been historically targeted by political parties to silence witnesses who document their crimes', he said. 'The deliberate killing of journalists is one of the violations that Israel has committed in violation of international humanitarian law. The Geneva Conventions are legally and morally obligatory for all states to enforce and discipline violators. However, a concerning pattern of double standards continues, primarily because of the protection that Israel receives, particularly from the United States, as demonstrated by the sanctions imposed on International Criminal Court judges', he said. The Jordanian Press Association (JPA) has strongly condemned the Israeli airstrike that assassinated six journalists and cameramen. Describing Israeli killing of journalists in Gaza as part of a 'systematic campaign against press freedom,' the JPA denounced the assault amid the ongoing Israeli collective punishment of Palestinians in Gaza. 'This flagrant and deliberate attack takes place under the world's watchful eyes, with no deterrence or accountability, in an attempt to silence the true narrative of the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza,' the association said. The JPA highlighted Israel's obstruction of media access to Gaza, aiming to 'conceal the scale of its crimes against people and infrastructure.' It also called on the international community to intervene urgently to halt the destructive war, facilitate humanitarian aid, and allow media coverage on the ground. Reaffirming Jordan's firm position under his Majesty King Abdullah, the association reiterated its rejection of Israeli violations against Palestinians and its support for the Palestinian right to an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital and commended Jordan's diplomatic efforts to safeguard holy sites and end the aggression. The statement concluded by underscoring the necessity of holding the Israeli occupation accountable to prevent impunity and the further targeting of journalists, who remain essential witnesses to the truth. 'We express our full solidarity with our journalist and cameraman colleagues in Gaza, who continue their professional mission under catastrophic conditions, committed to bringing part of the reality to the world,' the JPA said.
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Five Al Jazeera journalists are killed in Israeli strike on tent in Gaza: IDF says it was targeting and struck 'Hamas cell leader posing as correspondent'
Five Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on their tent in Gaza City on Sunday in what the IDF claimed was a targeted hit on 'the head of a Hamas terrorist cell' posing as a reporter. The broadcaster, which is primarily based in Doha in Qatar, said two reporters and three cameramen died in the blast. Al Jazeera named the dead as correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa. The other man slain was Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, 28, who has extensively documented the release of Israeli hostages. Al-Sharif also made headlines in January after footage of him removing his armoured press vest and helmet went viral following the announcement of a ceasefire. Only last month, the journalist spoke about his fear that he could be assassinated for exposing the truth of the situation in Gaza. The correspondent said he operated with 'the feeling that I could be bombed and martyred at any moment' because his coverage of Israel's operations 'harms them and damages their image in the world'. 'Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside three colleagues in what appears to be a targeted Israeli attack, the director of the al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City has said,' a spokesperson for the media network said. The IDF, Israel's national military, claimed in a social media post that al-Sharif was a 'terrorist' who 'posed as an Al Jazeera journalist' and was responsiblle for rocket attacks on their troops and Israeli civilians 'Al-Sharif, 28, was killed on Sunday after a tent for journalists outside the main gate of the hospital was hit. 'The well-known Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent reportedly extensively from northern Gaza.' However the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), the country's national military, triumphantly announced al-Sharif's death in a post on social media. The IDF claimed that the correspondent was a 'terrorist' who 'posed as an Al Jazeera journalist' and was responsiblle for rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and their troops. In a post on X beginning with a target emoji, the IDF said: 'STRUCK: Hamas terrorist Anas al-Sharif, who posed as an Al Jazeera journalist. 'Al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and advanced rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and IDF troops. 'Intelligence and documents from Gaza, including rosters, terrorist training lists and salary records, prove he was a Hamas operative integrated into Al Jazeera. 'A press badge isn't a shield for terrorism.' In a separate statement on messaging app Telegram, the IDF said: 'A short while ago, in Gaza City, the IDF struck the terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as a journalist for the Al Jazeera network. 'Anas Al-Sharif served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organization and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops.' According to Reporters Without Borders, more than 190 journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip since October 2023 - but foreign reporters have been barred from covering the conflict. The National Union for Journalists were one of the signatories to an open letter last week calling for action to protect reporters working in the Palestinian territories. The letter said: 'At the time of writing this letter, at least 189 journalists and media workers have been killed – including 175 Palestinians – in the ongoing war over the last 21 months, according to the International Federation of Journalists. 'In comparison, around 60 were killed during the Vietnam War. Many died while clearly identified as members of the press. Some were killed alongside their families, in their homes. 'These are not statistics. These are human beings, doing their jobs under conditions few of us in the UK could comprehend, bearing witness so the rest of us might grasp the enormity of what is happening. 'We're calling on the UK government to act - to unequivocally condemn the targeting of journalists and media workers in Gaza. These deaths cross a fundamental red line. Journalism is not a crime. 'Reporting is not terrorism. The erasure of journalists is not 'collateral damage' - it is a warning shot to the world, a signal that no truth is safe and no witness is welcome.' Following al-Sharif's death, a post described as his 'last will and testament' was posted on social media site X. It said: 'This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.' In the post he laments not being able to see his son Salah and daughter Sham grow up and pays testimony to his wife, while imploring Gazans to continue struggling against military occupation. It ends: 'Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.'
ABC News
2 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Israel kills Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza aistrike
Five Al Jazeera staff, including well-known Arabic correspondent Anas al-Sharif, have been killed in a targeted Israeli air strike in Gaza. Al Jazeera says its journalists Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh were killed along with camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa when Israel bombed a journalists' tent in Gaza City, near Al-Shifa Hospital. The attack killed the whole of Al Jazeera's reporting team in Gaza City. "Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif has been killed alongside three colleagues in what appears to be a targeted Israeli attack, the director of Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City has said," the Qatar-based broadcaster said. "Al-Sharif, 28, was killed on Sunday after a tent for journalists outside the main gate of the hospital was hit. The well-known Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent reported extensively from northern Gaza." Israel had been openly threatening to target al-Sharif for several weeks, claiming he was a Hamas operative, which al-Sharif and Al Jazeera had denied. Israel's military said it had struck an Al Jazeera correspondent in Gaza, calling him a "terrorist" who "posed as a journalist". "A short while ago, in Gaza City, the IDF struck the terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as a journalist for the Al Jazeera network. 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 on Telegram. Just before his death, al-Sharif posted on social media about relentless bombings around Gaza City. Another message was posted on his X account after the bombing, saying "This was what our dear beloved Anas requested to be published upon his martyrdom". "This is my will and my final message. If these words of mine reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice," the post reads. "Allah knows I gave every effort and all my strength to be a support and a voice for my people, ever since I opened my eyes to life in the alleys and streets of the Jabalia refugee camp." The post ends: "Do not forget Gaza … And do not forget me in your righteous prayers for forgiveness and acceptance." Weeks ago, the Al Jazeera network denounced the Israeli military for what it called a "campaign of incitement" against its reporters in Gaza, especially al-Sharif. "The Network considers this incitement a dangerous attempt to justify the targeting of its journalists in the field," it said. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) previously said it was "deeply alarmed" by threats and smears made by Israel against al-Sharif, and called on the international community to protect him, predicting an assassination attempt would be made. Palestinian journalists' groups have also condemned the killings. 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 Israel's claims against him were unsubstantiated. In July, the Committee to Protect Journalists urged the international community to protect al-Sharif. The CPJ says at least 186 journalists and media workers have been killed inside Gaza during the war, since October 7 2023. ABC with wires
