Anas Al Sharif
Anas Jamal Mahmoud Al-Sharif أنس جمال محمود الشريف
(3 December 1996 – 10 August 2025) was a Palestinian journalist and videographer for Al Jazeera Arabic, widely recognized for his frontline reporting from northern Gaza during the Gaza war. In 2024, Al-Sharif’s Reuters team was awarded a Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography for their “raw and urgent” photos documenting the Gaza war.
Al-Sharif was killed by Israeli Army along with four other journalists and two civilians in an Israeli airstrike targeting him and other journalists in a tent outside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City on 10 August 2025.
At the time of his death, 234 journalists had been killed during the Gaza war.
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World Reaction to His Killing by Israel
The killing sparked widespread global outrage, viewed as part of Israel’s pattern of targeting journalists (186+ killed since October 2023, per CPJ, the deadliest conflict for media workers on record). Key reactions included:
- Al Jazeera and Palestinian Groups: The network condemned it as a “targeted assassination” and “premeditated attack on press freedom,” urging international intervention to halt the “genocide” and protect witnesses. Hamas called it a “barbaric crime surpassing fascism,” praising Al-Sharif as a “model free journalist” documenting famine. Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine labeled it a “heinous war crime” to pave the way for further atrocities. The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate decried it as a “bloody crime,” with funerals in Gaza City drawing hundreds, including mourners chanting against Israel.
- Press Freedom Organizations: CPJ was “appalled,” demanding accountability and noting Israel’s “longstanding pattern” of unsubstantiated militant labels, which violates international law protecting civilians. RSF and the International Press Institute called for independent probes, highlighting the strike’s timing amid Israel’s Gaza City occupation plans. Amnesty International urged an “impartial investigation” into the “deliberate killing,” emphasizing Al-Sharif’s role as Gaza’s “eyes and voice.” The Foreign Press Association expressed “outrage” at the “targeted killing,” warning it turns reporters into targets.
- United Nations and International Bodies: UN Secretary-General António Guterres condemned the deaths and called for an “independent investigation.” The UN Human Rights Office deemed it a “grave breach of international humanitarian law,” stressing journalists must be protected. UNESCO’s Audrey Azoulay echoed the condemnation. The EU’s Kaja Kallas demanded “clear evidence” from Israel under the rule of law to avoid targeting media. Qatar (Al Jazeera’s base) denounced it as a violation of press freedoms.
- Governments and Officials: The UK expressed “grave concern” over repeated journalist targeting (per PM Keir Starmer’s spokesperson). Germany’s Foreign Office called it “absolutely unacceptable” under humanitarian law, demanding a “transparent explanation.” Analysts like Muhammed Shehada (Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor) cited “zero evidence” of Al-Sharif’s militancy, noting his routine was constant on-camera reporting.
- Protests and Public Response: Vigils occurred worldwide, including in Amsterdam (with mock coffins), Johannesburg (“Journalism is not a crime”), Washington, DC (linking coverage to killings), and London (outside BBC HQ: “You killed Anas”). On X, tributes mourned him as a “brave voice,” with posts like those from colleagues emphasizing the silencing of Gaza’s truth-tellers. A posthumous message from Al-Sharif (written April 6, 2025) went viral: “Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice… Do not forget Gaza.”
