Palestinian journalists killed in Israeli airstrike

UN Secretary General António Guterres condemned the deaths of several Al Jazeera news employees during an Israeli airstrike overnight in Gaza, Guterres’ spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said Monday. The secretary general called for an independent investigation into the deaths, spokesman Dujarric continued. Popular Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Al-Sharif died in a Sunday night strike with fellow correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, photojournalists Ibrahim Al Thaher and Moamen Aliwa, and staff member Mohammed Noufal. Israel intentionally targeted a tent near the gates of the al-Shifa Hospital where Al Jazeera’s journalists were working, the news outlet alleged. Nearly 270 media workers have died during Israeli attacks throughout the war in Gaza, Al Jazeera added.

What has Israel said? The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the attack and describedAl-Sharif as a Hamas terrorist posing as an Al Jazeera journalist. Documents from Gaza, including terrorist training lists and salary records, prove Al-Sharif was a Hamas operative integrated into Al Jazeera, the IDF said. He led a Hamas terrorist cell and assisted rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and troops, the statement added.

Dig deeper: Read Lauren Canterberry’s Friday report about the Israeli Security Cabinet approving a plan to occupy all of Gaza.