The Al Jazeera Media Network has denounced the deaths of five of its journalists in Gaza, alleging they were killed in a targeted Israeli military strike on Sunday. In a strongly worded statement released Monday, the Qatar-based network accused Israeli forces of carrying out a “blatant and premeditated assault on press freedom” by attacking reporters covering the Israel-Gaza conflict.
According to Al Jazeera, the incident occurred when Israeli troops shelled a makeshift tent where its correspondents were stationed outside Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital. The network described the strike as part of a broader pattern of systemic violence against media workers, asserting that Israeli authorities bore direct responsibility for “deliberately targeting and assassinating” journalists. The statement linked the attack to efforts to suppress reporting on what it called an “impending seizure and occupation of Gaza,” while condemning Israel’s wider military campaign for causing civilian casualties, forced starvation, and the destruction of neighborhoods.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) acknowledged striking the area but asserted that one of the journalists was affiliated with Hamas, without providing immediate evidence. The military has repeatedly claimed it does not intentionally target civilians or journalists, though multiple press advocacy groups have documented soaring media worker fatalities during the conflict.
Al Jazeera urged global institutions and world leaders to intervene, calling for measures to end the “ongoing genocide” and halt attacks on journalists. The deaths add to growing scrutiny over press safety in Gaza, where at least 103 reporters and media staff have been killed since Israel launched its military operation in October, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists.
The incident highlights escalating tensions over media access in conflict zones, with Al Jazeera—a frequent critic of Israel’s policies—remaining a key source of on-the-ground reporting from Gaza. International human rights organizations have repeatedly called for independent investigations into attacks on press facilities, emphasizing the critical role of journalists in documenting civilian suffering amid widespread communications blackouts and restricted humanitarian access. As the war enters its ninth month, concerns persist over shrinking space for impartial conflict reporting and the broader humanitarian toll, with over 37,000 Palestinians reported killed and infrastructure across Gaza largely demolished.
