AS the world witnesses the horrors unfolding in Gaza, the serial killing of journalists signals a global collapse of moral responsibility in safeguarding journalists who risk their lives to illuminate the reality of war.
In a brazen assault on press freedom, Israel has killed 238 journalists in Gaza since the conflict began on October 7, 2023, yet it shows no restraint in silencing the voices. It is a catastrophic breach of the international laws regarding the protection of journalists in war zones along with a wider climate of impunity and authoritarianism.
The brutal killing of Anas al-Sharif, on 10th August along with four of his colleagues in a deliberate Israeli drone attack on a media tent sheltering journalists has shocked the world. Hundreds of mourners carried their bodies through the streets of Gaza, as cries and screams filled the air, voices breaking for those they loved so deeply. The sky sagged under the weight of heavy loss, as if it had lost its own voice.
Global anger mounts as funerals were held of slain journalists, their last assignment was truth. The United Nations and European Union, Reporters Without Borders and Foreign Press Association have strongly condemned the assassination of Sharif and his colleagues. A posthumous note, written by Sharif in April in event of his death, was published online saying he had been silenced and urging people “not to forget Gaza”.
Anas al-Sharif was a household name, much loved by people and the international community who had millions of followers online. From day one of the war, Sharif was known for his courage and fearless reporting. As a result, he became one of the most recognisable voices documenting the ongoing Israeli genocide. Born in Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp, Sharif went on to study at al Aqsa University and graduated from the faculty of media. After the war broke out, Sharif extensively reported on daily life in Gaza amid airstrikes, drone attacks, hunger, death of children and the rubble of destroyed neighbourhoods. He remained mostly in the north of Gaza, listing the effects of Israel’s bombardment and starvation.
No surprise, the Israel war machine has torn apart families, communities and have destroyed water resources, schools, hospitals, commute routes, to inflict spatial massacre and segregation. However, the surge of crime against journalists is one of the organised war strategies of Israel to mute the voices. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented that more journalists were killed in Gaza in 2024 than in any other year on record, with the majority of these fatalities being Palestinians. The Watson Institute’s “Costs of War” project also reported that hundreds of journalists were killed in Gaza, describing it as the deadliest conflict for media workers ever recorded.
By all measures, Journalists are under siege in Gaza it has become a daily normal to bully and kill journalists just for fulfilling their journalistic responsibilities. Nevertheless, the courage and resilience of journalists like Sharif will never let Israel conceal its crimes in darkness.
To my mind, Israel’s efforts to blind the world have failed badly. The world stands together in solidarity against the killing of journalists who are defending democracy and justice by revealing truth. This is my will and my final message. If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice. These were the final words of Sharif, which will forever stand as a haunting reminder of the price paid for duty and freedom.
—The writer is occasionally contributes to the national press, based in UK.
