Israel kills Qatar's Al Jazeera "journalists" in Gaza strike

Israel kills Qatars Al Jazeera TV journalists in Gaza strike — Al Jazeera TV reporter Anas Al Sharif, Gaza Strp, Israel, 2025. Photo: Sharif’s X

JERUSALEM,— Five members of an Al Jazeera news crew, including a reporter accused by Israel of working with Hamas, were killed on Sunday when an Israeli airstrike hit an area near Shifa Hospital in eastern Gaza City, according to local officials and the Qatar-based network.

The Israeli military identified the main target as Anas Al Sharif, 28, alleging he led a Hamas cell and played a central role in directing rocket fire toward Israeli territory. The army said the claim was backed by intelligence material and seized documents from Gaza.

Al Jazeera, which has become Hamas’ propaganda channel, operates under Qatar’s state control, and whose government hosts top Hamas leaders in Doha, dismissed the accusations, repeating its position that Al Sharif was not affiliated with Hamas or any other armed group. The broadcaster described the strike as a calculated move to halt its reporting from the enclave.

Gaza health authorities said six people were killed in total. The network named the other journalists killed as Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, and Mohammed Noufal, along with an unnamed assistant.

The incident has reignited criticism of Al Jazeera’s operations in the Middle East. Funded and managed by Qatar — a Gulf monarchy often accused by Western governments of backing militant Islamist factions — the network has long been accused by opponents of offering sympathetic coverage to groups such as Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and the Taliban. Its broadcasts have also aired sermons by clerics calling for violence against Americans, Europeans, and Israelis.

Security analysts and political commentators have accused the broadcaster of acting less as a neutral news outlet and more as a platform for Islamist political messaging.

Henase Karim, a political analyst speaking to iKurd News, said Al Jazeera’s reporters in Gaza often operate alongside Hamas fighters and act as “informers” for the group under the cover of journalism. “You don’t need to be an expert to see what Al Jazeera is broadcasting — hate speech and lies,” she said, adding that closing the network would remove “a source of hatred and disinformation” in the region. According to Karim, the network’s hiring policies ensure that “no one can work for Al Jazeera unless they are radical.”

Last year, the Israeli military publicly identified Al Sharif as one of six journalists in Gaza it alleged were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The army said it possessed records of training and payroll details linking the journalists to the factions.

Advocacy groups have rejected those claims. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in July it had warned of threats to Al Sharif’s life and had called on Israel to ensure his safety. CPJ’s regional director, Sara Qudah, accused Israel of repeatedly labeling reporters as militants without releasing credible proof, describing it as a tactic that undermines press protections.

United Nations Special Rapporteur Irene Khan said last month that Israel’s allegations against Al Sharif were unproven and should not be used to justify threats or attacks.

An Al Jazeera journalist with Hamas fighters inside a tunnel in Gaza, 2024 or 2025. Photo: Screengrab/Al Jazeera TV

Al Sharif left behind a message intended for publication in the event of his death, according to Al Jazeera. In it, he said he had “never hesitated to convey the truth… without distortion or misrepresentation,” and hoped God would “witness those who remained silent.”

The Israeli military said Sunday’s strike was part of ongoing efforts to dismantle Hamas infrastructure in Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to expand operations to eliminate the group’s military capability, which Israel says is entrenched in civilian areas.

Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, said the deaths were an attempt to clear the way for a larger offensive in Gaza City. In a statement, the group warned that the killing of reporters signaled “a major crime” was being prepared by Israeli forces.

The conflict began after Hamas-led militants crossed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing and kidnapping civilians in an attack that triggered Israel’s prolonged military campaign. Gaza has since faced repeated air and ground assaults, leaving widespread destruction and severe shortages of food, water, and medical supplies.

Al Jazeera’s reporting on the war has been controversial. Several Arab governments and Western analysts accuse it of serving Qatar’s political aims by amplifying Islamist causes and promoting clerics with militant views. Supporters argue it covers stories ignored by Western media, particularly Palestinian civilian casualties.

According to CPJ, at least 186 journalists have been killed since the start of the Gaza war, making it one of the most lethal conflicts for media workers in recent decades. Israel says some of those killed were directly involved in combat operations, while rights groups argue the government is using such claims to justify actions against the press.

In the minutes before he was killed, Al Sharif posted on X that Gaza City had been under heavy bombardment for over two hours. His account had more than half a million followers.

The killings mark another flashpoint in the long-running dispute over Al Jazeera’s role in the region.

Detractors accuse the network of promoting the agenda of Islamist armed groups while presenting itself as an independent news organization. Supporters say it provides coverage of Palestinian suffering that Western media often avoids.

Israeli officials have signaled they will not alter their approach, insisting that journalists with militant ties will be treated as combatants. For Israel, the case of Anas Al Sharif underscores its claim that some foreign media personnel in Gaza are part of the conflict, not just covering it.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)