FPU calls for independent investigation into the murder of journalist Anas al-Sharif
Al Jazeera correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa were killed last night in a targeted attack by Israel. Freelance journalist Mohammad al-Khaldi was in a nearby tent. All indications point to this being a deliberate attack by Israel. At the time of the attack, Al-Sharif and his colleagues were in a tent specifically designated for journalists, near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. They were all clearly identifiable as members of the press; they were wearing press vests, had stickers on their clothing and were carrying cameras.
We are seeing a broader and ongoing pattern of attacks on the press in Gaza, with most journalists still working in the area being threatened and killed. According to the Palestinian Journalists' Union, 238 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the start of the war and the media infrastructure has been destroyed, leaving 112 media channels off the air. According to CPJ, 192 journalists have been killed since 7 October 2023. There is evidence that at least 26 of these attacks were targeted, qualifying them as murders. CPJ is also investigating more than 20 cases of suspected targeted, lethal attacks on journalists.
“In the attack on Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues, everything indicates that this was not an accident, but a deliberate and systematic targeting of clearly marked members of the media." Says Ruth Kronenburg, Executive Director.
In the weeks leading up to this attack, we were still in contact with al-Sharif, and despite the death threats he had already received, he continued his work.
Al-Sharif had been a frontline reporter in northern Gaza for a long time. Since the start of the war, he had been directly threatened by the Israeli army because of his journalistic work. His family's home was bombed and he lost close relatives. In recent months, he was also the target of a smear campaign by the Israeli army, in which he was vilified on the basis of unfounded accusations. Press freedom organisations had previously expressed their concerns about this targeted intimidation, fearing that it could be a precursor to physical violence and murder. The deaths of al-Sharif and his colleagues are a painful example of how the international community's failure to take concrete steps to protect journalism in Gaza has once again led to fatal consequences.
Al-Sharif had been a frontline reporter for a long time. With the many threats he received, he had been anticipating his death for some time. He wrote a final message to be released if he were killed:
“If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice... Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers”
FPU condemns every attack by Israel on journalists and media workers. Free Press Unlimited has repeatedly called on the international community to do everything in its power to ensure that journalists in Gaza and the West Bank are no longer targeted and to stand up to the Israeli government for press freedom and the safety of journalists. FPU calls for an independent investigation into these killings. The unprecedented impunity of these targeted attacks on journalists must end.
