Israel kills correspondents in Gaza, alleges Hamas role

GAZA/JERUSALEM - The Israeli army on Sunday killed four correspondents working for Qatar's Al Jazeera channel, by attacking their tent in front of Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, according to Al Jazeera and Gaza-based medical sources.

Al Jazeera reported that its journalists Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, were killed in an Israeli strike on Gaza.

Mohammed Abu Selmiya, director of Al-Shifa Hospital, told Xinhua that five Palestinians were killed in the Israeli strike. "Anas Al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, both correspondents for Al Jazeera, and two cameramen, Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, were among the victims."

Palestinian civil defense sources told Xinhua that the Israeli army directly targeted the journalists' tent, killing the four, while the fifth victim remained unidentified as his body "was turned into pieces."

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a later statement that it had killed Anas Al-Sharif in Gaza City in a strike, claiming that he was affiliated with Hamas.

"Anas Al-Sharif served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organization and was responsible for advancing rocket attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops," it alleged.

It said documents found showed his affiliation with Hamas, including "personnel rosters, lists of terrorist training courses, phone directories, and salary documents."

Al Jazeera reported that "there's zero evidence that Al-Sharif took part in any hostilities," citing Muhammad Shehada, a writer and analyst from Gaza.

Shortly before being killed, Al-Sharif posted a video on X, showing Gaza's night skies lit red by bombardment and filled with the sound of explosions. "Relentless bombardment," he wrote. "For two hours, the Israeli aggression has intensified on Gaza City."