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The National Press Club on Monday said it is "saddened and troubled" by reports from Al Jazeera that its correspondent, Anas al-Sharif, was killed today in Gaza.
According to the National Press Club, the network said al-Sharif, 28, died after a tent for journalists outside the main gate of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City was struck. Al-Sharif, a respected Arabic-language correspondent, had reported extensively from northern Gaza throughout the current conflict. His death is among more than 200 journalists reported killed since the war began, the statement noted. "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." The National Press Club has called for a thorough and transparent examination of the circumstances surrounding al-Sharif's death and reaffirmed its commitment to defending the safety and independence of journalists worldwide. This comes after Israeli forces have killed five Al Jazeera staff, including correspondent Anas al-Sharif, in a targeted strike on their media tent outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Al Jazeera has reported. According to the network, Israel's military claimed responsibility for the assassination in a statement, alleging al-Sharif led a unit of Hamas's armed wing, a claim Al Jazeera described as false. "STRUCK: Hamas terrorist Anas Al-Sharif, who posed as an Al Jazeera journalist Al-Sharif was the head of a Hamas terrorist cell and advanced 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 https://x.com/IDF/status/1954652255199887516 Al Jazeera said its correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa, and their assistant Mohammed Noufal, were also killed in the attack. Citing Gaza health authorities, the network reported that Israel's war on Gaza has killed at least 61,430 people and wounded 153,213. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023 attacks, and more than 200 were taken captive. (ANI)
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