Jerusalem, August 11: The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) on Monday confirmed that an airstrike in Gaza killed Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, claiming he was “the head of a terrorist cell in Hamas” and warning that “a press badge isn’t a shield for terrorism.”
According to the IDF, Al-Sharif, along with four colleagues — Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa, and Mohammed Noufal — was targeted for his alleged role in advancing rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and troops. The military cited intelligence, documents, and rosters seized in Gaza, including terrorist training lists and salary records, as proof of his operational role within Hamas and integration into Al Jazeera.
The IDF had previously released, in October, what it described as “unequivocal” evidence of Al-Sharif’s military affiliation with Hamas, which the network denied. Officials said the strike was carried out using precision weapons and aerial surveillance to minimise civilian casualties.
Al-Sharif had been active on social media shortly before his death, reporting on Israeli bombardments in Gaza. A posthumous message, reportedly drafted by his associates, read: “If these words of mine reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice.”
