Al-Sharif became a household name throughout his coverage of the genocide in the Gaza Strip and was widely described as the voice of Palestinians in the blockaded territory.
Slain Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif had turned down an invitation to move to Qatar, and insisted on remaining in the Gaza Strip, so that he could continue his coverage of Israel’s genocide, his mother, Fawzia Al-Sharif, told Middle East Eye (MEE).
“They invited him to Qatar. He said, ‘I can’t go…I must leave Gaza only for paradise.’ That was his mission,” she said in an interview published on Thursday.
Israel killed Al-Sharif in a targeted airstrike on Sunday following Israel’s months-long incitement campaign against him that involved baseless allegations over his affiliation with Hamas.
The airstrike also killed four of Al-Sharif’s colleagues including Mohammed Qraiqea, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa. Their killing brought up the number of journalists killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, to 238.
Al Jazeera issued a statement shortly after the attack condemning the assassination of its press crew, highlighting Israel’s “desperate attempt” to silence those exposing its crimes during the genocide in the Gaza Strip.
Al-Sharif became a household name throughout his coverage of the genocide in the Gaza Strip and was widely described as the voice of Palestinians in the blockaded territory.
The journalist was also known for his humanitarian support for his fellow Palestinians living under the harsh conditions caused by the genocide, including Israel’s starvation of Gaza’s 2.1 million population.
“If he saw elderly people, he’d take them. I’d ask him ‘Who are these?’ He would say ‘These are for God, Mum. Take them.’ He loved people,” the slain journalist’s mother said.
Israel has also targeted the families of journalists in the Gaza Strip as a form of intimidation to stop them from continuing their coverage of the genocide.
In December 2023, Israeli forces killed Al-Sharif’s father in a strike in northern Gaza, two weeks after occupation forces threatened to target him.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said on Monday it was “appalled to learn of the killing” of the journalists while dismissing Israel’s justification of the crime.
“Israel’s pattern of labeling journalists as militants without providing credible evidence raises serious questions about its intent and respect for press freedom,” Sara Qudah, CPJ Regional Director, said.
Israel’s main ally and backer, the United States, echoed the justification for the killing of Al-Sharif instead of condemning the crime.
Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, U.S. State Department Spokesperson, Tammy Bruce, alleged that Israel had “the evidence” against Al-Sharif.
“What I will tell you is that we refer you to Israel for information regarding Al-Sharif. Israel has released evidence that Al-Sharif was part of Hamas and was supportive of the Hamas attack on October 7,” Bruce said.
“They’re the ones who have the evidence,” she added.
The journalists are among more than 61,700 Israel has killed in the Gaza Strip since the launch of the genocide, with thousands others trapped under the rubble. Israel has also starved 239 Palestinians to death, including 106 children, with the figure expected to rise as Israel persists in its blockade.
