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The UN Human Rights Office has issued a condemnation of a targeted Israeli strike that resulted in the deaths of six journalists in Gaza, characterizing the incident as a “grave breach” of international law.
Among the deceased were five journalists affiliated with Al Jazeera, including correspondent Anas al-Sharif, who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday. The broadcaster reported that two additional journalists, including a freelance journalist, also perished in the attack.
The Israeli military stated that it had targeted Sharif, alleging that he “served as the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas,” an accusation Sharif had denied. Israel has presented limited evidence to support its claim.
According to BBC sources, Sharif had previously worked for a Hamas media team in Gaza prior to the onset of the current conflict.
Social media posts made by the journalist before his death reveal instances of him criticizing Hamas.
The attack has drawn condemnation from media rights groups and several nations, including Qatar.
A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that the UK government is “gravely concerned” and has called for an independent investigation into the incident.
Speaking to reporters, Starmer’s official spokesman emphasized that Israel must ensure the safety of journalists, allowing them to report without fear.
The funerals for Sharif, fellow Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa were held on Monday, following the targeted missile strike on their tent in Gaza City.
Reuters news agency, citing medical personnel at al-Shifa hospital, identified Mohammad al-Khaldi as the sixth journalist killed in the strike. An additional individual was also reported to have died in the attack.
Reporters Without Borders, a media freedom advocacy group, strongly condemned what it described as the assassination of Sharif.
The Foreign Press Association expressed outrage over the targeted killing, noting that the Israeli military has repeatedly labeled Palestinian journalists “as militants, often without verifiable evidence.”
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) stated that it was appalled by the attack and criticized Israel for failing to provide substantiating evidence for its allegations against Sharif.
“Israel has a longstanding, documented pattern of accusing journalists of being terrorists without providing any credible proof,” the organization added.
The Israeli military has suggested it possesses documents recovered in Gaza that confirm al-Sharif’s affiliation with Hamas.
These documents purportedly include “personnel rosters, lists of terrorist training courses, phone directories and salary documents.”
The only materials released for publication consist of screenshots of spreadsheets purportedly listing Hamas operatives from the northern Gaza Strip, noting injuries to Hamas operatives, and a section of what is said to be a phone directory for the armed group’s East Jabalia battalion.
The BBC has not been able to independently verify these documents.
As yet, no Israeli explanation has been offered for the killing of the entire Al Jazeera news crew.
According to CPJ, at least 186 journalists have been killed since the beginning of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza in October 2023, marking the deadliest period for journalists since the organization began recording such data in 1992.
“Israel must respect & protect all civilians, including journalists,” the UN Human Rights office stated in a post on X. “We call for immediate, safe and unhindered access to Gaza for all journalists.”
Last month, the BBC and three other news agencies – Reuters, AP, and AFP – issued a joint statement expressing “desperate concern” for journalists in the Gaza Strip, who they say are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families.
The Israeli government restricts international news organizations, including the BBC, from freely reporting from Gaza, leading many outlets to rely on Gaza-based reporters for coverage.
Meanwhile in Gaza, five more people have died from malnutrition in the past 24 hours, including one child, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
This brings the total number of malnutrition deaths to 222, including 101 children, the health ministry said.
The UN’s humanitarian agency said on Friday that the amount of aid entering Gaza continues to be “far below the minimum required to meet people’s immense needs”. Last month, UN-backed global food security experts warned the “worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out”.
Israel has continued to deny there is starvation in Gaza and has accused UN agencies of not picking up aid at the borders and delivering it.
The UN’s humanitarian agency has said it continues to see impediments and delays as it tries to collect aid from Israeli-controlled border zones.
Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Since then, 61,430 people have been killed in Gaza as a result of Israel’s military campaign, according to the health ministry.
In the shadow of the Gaza war, violence is rising in the occupied territories as radical settlers seize land with the backing of the government.
Israel’s Prime Minister also claimed Israeli hostages held in Gaza were “the only ones being deliberately starved”.
Protesters call for the release of hostages still being held in Gaza as they voice support for Israel.
Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN, and Jonathan Miller, Deputy Permanent Representative for Israel to the UN, address a UN Security Council meeting.
Meanwhile in Gaza, five people, including two children, died in the past 24 hours from malnutrition, the Hamas-run health ministry said.
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