The organization urged a thorough and transparent probe into the circumstances surrounding al-Sharif’s death and reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the safety and independence of journalists worldwide
Al-Jazeera reporter Anas al-Sharif speaking during an interview in Gaza City on August 1, 2024 Pic/ AFP
The National Press Club announced on Monday that it is "saddened and troubled" by news from Al Jazeera regarding the death of its correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, in Gaza, reported ANI.
According to the club, the network reported that al-Sharif, aged 28, was killed when a journalists’ tent set up outside the main gate of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City came under attack.
Al-Sharif, a well-regarded Arabic-language reporter, had been covering events in northern Gaza extensively during the ongoing conflict. His death adds to the more than 200 journalists reported to have been killed since the war began, the statement said.
"The killing of a journalist while working to inform the public is a loss felt far beyond one newsroom," said National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. "Journalists must be able to work without being targeted or killed. All parties in conflict zones must honor their obligations under international law to protect reporters and ensure they can carry out their work safely," reported ANI.
The organization called for a comprehensive and transparent investigation into the circumstances of al-Sharif’s death and reiterated its dedication to protecting the safety and independence of journalists around the world.
This development follows reports from Al Jazeera that Israeli forces killed five of its staff, including al-Sharif, in what the network described as a targeted attack on their media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, reported ANI.
The network said Israel’s military later claimed responsibility for the strike, alleging that al-Sharif was a commander in Hamas’s armed wing, an accusation Al Jazeera has rejected as false.
"Hamas terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as an Al Jazeera journalist Al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and carried out 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," the IDF said in a post on X, reported ANI.
Al Jazeera added that its correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, as well as their assistant Mohammed Noufal, also died in the same attack.
As reported by ANI, quoting Gaza health officials, the network reported that Israel’s ongoing military offensive in Gaza has killed at least 61,430 people and injured 153,213. It also noted that during the October 7, 2023 attacks, an estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel and over 200 were taken hostage.
(Inputs from ANI)
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