IDF Claims Slain Al Jazeera Journalist Was Hamas Member Amid Global Outcry
IDF Claims Slain Al Jazeera Journalist Was Hamas Member Amid Global Outcry
The Israeli military has asserted that a prominent Al Jazeera journalist killed recently was an active Hamas member receiving a salary from the terror group, a claim made amidst mounting international condemnation over a Gaza City strike that also resulted in the deaths of five other reporters.
Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, IDF international spokesperson, stated that intelligence obtained prior to the strike indicated Anas al-Sharif was an active Hamas military wing operative and received payments from Hamas and Al Jazeera simultaneously. The IDF further alleged Sharif was a Hamas cell leader responsible for advancing rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and troops.
Evidence presented by the IDF, including documents from Gaza such as rosters and salary records, purportedly proves Sharif’s integration into Hamas. These documents, previously published by the IDF in October, suggest Sharif joined Hamas’s military wing in December 2013, serving as a rocket-launching squad commander, and was certified as a team commander in January 2019. Further documents indicate he was wounded during Hamas training in April 2017 and continued to receive a monthly salary, with his name also appearing on an internal phone registry of Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force.
The IDF did not comment on the affiliation of the other five journalists killed in the strike near Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital. The European Union has joined calls for Israel to provide clear evidence supporting its claims. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent investigation into the killings, emphasizing the need to protect journalists in conflict zones. Al Jazeera vehemently denies Israel’s allegations, accusing it of systematically targeting its employees.
The strike occurred days after Israel approved a plan to conquer Gaza City and relocate southern Palestinians, a move that drew international criticism. Israel has largely restricted journalists’ access to Gaza since the conflict began, except for military-controlled trips.
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