IDF confirms killing Al Jazeera journalist, claims he was a Hamas member
The IDF confirmed killing Anas Al-Sharif, a Hamas terrorist who also worked as an Al Jazeera correspondent inside the Gaza Strip.
The IDF killed Anas Al-Sharif, a Hamas terrorist who also worked as an Al Jazeera correspondent inside the Gaza Strip, on Sunday, the military announced.
Al-Sharif was responsible for advancing rocket attacks and had served as a member of Hamas ever since 2013, the IDF said.
Documents shared by the IDF Spokesperson Unit include personnel rosters, lists of terror training courses, phone directories, and salary documents for the terrorist.
“Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence,” the statement also shared.
Anas Al-Sharif, terrorist killed by the IDF. (credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON UNIT)
Reports from Gaza claim several casualties
Reports in Gaza claimed five people were killed during the attack, including two journalists from the Al Jazeera network.
According to the Qatari network, four people from their staff were killed in the IDF strike near the Shifa Hospital. The network also confirmed that Al-Sharif was among those killed by the strike.
Al-Sharif also posted on social media minutes before being targeted, with an X/Twitter post saying that “bombings had been going on for the last two hours.”
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 that Israel’s claims against him were unsubstantiated,” the agency informed.
The IDF didn’t share details about the site of the strike, while it claimed that the documents shared were “proof of the integration of the Hamas terrorist within the Qatari Al Jazeera network.”
The Hamas terror group said that the killing may signal the start of an Israeli offensive. “The assassination of journalists and the intimidation of those who remain paves the way for a major crime that the occupation is planning to commit in Gaza City,” they said in a statement.
Reuters contributed to this report.
