Slain journalist Anas al-Sharif
'Israeli' smear campaign aims to justify murdering journalist Anas al-Sharif
Seven Palestinian journalists, including Al Jazeera reporters Anas al-Sharif and Mohammad Qureiqa, as well as photographers Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammad Nofal, were confirmed killed in an 'Israeli' airstrike targeting Gaza City.
This tragic loss has drawn international condemnation amid an escalating humanitarian crisis.
Read more: VIDEO - 'Israel' kills prominent Gaza journalists including Anas Sharif
Since the onset of the 'Israeli' assault on Gaza, 'Israeli' military spokesperson Avichay Adraee and affiliated social media accounts have launched a sustained and systematic campaign to demonize Anas al-Sharif, who has become a very prominent and credible journalist.
'Israeli' army claimed that al-Sharif held a senior role in Hamas’s military wing and accused him of orchestrating rocket attacks against civilians. These allegations have been widely discredited by press freedom organizations and human rights advocates.
The incitement against al-Sharif intensified markedly starting July 2025, with Adraee posting provocative videos and inflammatory messages targeting the journalist. This smear campaign extended beyond Adraee himself to a network of social media accounts which amplify these false accusations alongside defamatory language designed to tarnish al-Sharif’s reputation and provoke public hostility.
Read more: Prominent Gazan journalist: “If these words reach you, Israel succeeded in killing me”
In a recent in-depth interview, al-Sharif revealed that this orchestrated incitement is intended to hold him responsible for any harm he might encounter, effectively justifying potential violence against him. This tactic fits a broader pattern employed by the Israeli military, which has in the past labeled Palestinian journalists as “terrorists” prior to lethal strikes, most notably seen in the killing of Al Jazeera Mubasher journalist Hossam Shabat in 2025 following similar accusations.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) had described the threat to al-Sharif as “acute,” warning that such baseless allegations are often precursors to targeted killings. The campaign against him had already had devastating personal consequences: in December 2023, an 'Israeli' airstrike killed his elderly father weeks after al-Sharif had received threats from 'Israeli' officials demanding he halt his reporting.
International voices have strongly condemned the smear campaign. UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Opinion and Expression Irene Khan denounced the accusations as “baseless” and a direct threat to the journalist’s life. She warned that 'Israel’s' strategy aims to silence critical reporting by systematically obstructing and targeting journalists in Gaza, creating a near-total information blackout amid ongoing hostilities.
The killing of these journalists marks a grave escalation in the dangers faced by media professionals in Gaza, underscoring the urgent need for international protection of press freedom and accountability for attacks on journalists reporting from conflict zones.
