Al Jazeera journalists killed in Gaza, Israel calls one a Hamas militant

 Several Al Jazeera journalists were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza, the Qatari news channel said on Monday.

The dead included correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Kreike, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliva. Two other people were also killed. According to the channel, the five staff members had been inside a tent near the entrance to Gaza City’s al-Shifa hospital.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike, saying it specifically targeted al-Sharif, whom it accused of posing as a journalist while “responsible for organizing rocket attacks” on Israeli civilians and military.

The IDF said al-Sharif planned and carried out rocket fire at civilian targets in Israel and IDF forces while operating under Al Jazeera’s cover, holding an official press ID. Israeli military officials said documents found during operations in Gaza listed al-Sharif in Hamas fighter rosters, militant training records, organization contact lists and payrolls.

“Steps were taken before the strike to minimize civilian harm, including use of precision weapons, aerial monitoring and additional intelligence,” the IDF statement said.

Al Jazeera condemned the attack as a “brazen and deliberate assault on press freedom.”

Foreign reporters are barred from entering Gaza, so many international outlets employ local journalists. Before his death, 28-year-old al-Sharif had posted on X about heavy Israeli bombardments in eastern and southern Gaza City.