Gaza city: The Al Jazeera news network has accused Israel of deliberately targeting its journalists in the Gaza Strip, describing the action as a "desperate attempt to silence voices ahead of the invasion of Gaza." This accusation follows a tragic incident near the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where a journalists' tent was targeted, resulting in the deaths of five journalists, including Al Jazeera reporters Anas Al-Sharif and Mohamed Qraiqea.

According to Anadolu Agency, Al Jazeera issued a statement holding the Israeli army and government fully responsible for the attack. The statement highlighted that Israeli officials have allegedly incited violence against Al-Sharif and his colleagues. Al Jazeera emphasized Al-Sharif's role as a courageous journalist who documented the dire conditions in Gaza, attributing the attack to Israel's broader strategy to suppress media coverage amid its plans to occupy Gaza.

The statement further noted that the assassination took place amidst a lengthy campaign described as a genocide and followed the Israeli government's announcement of its intentions in Gaza. Al Jazeera condemned the attack as a deliberate assault on media freedom, with Israel purportedly admitting the attack was a targeted action against the journalists' tent.

Al Jazeera rejected Israel's claims that Al-Sharif was involved with Hamas, asserting his role purely as a journalist. The network criticized Israel's justification for the attack, denouncing it as an attempt to obscure the truth. In its statement, Al Jazeera called on the international community to respond to Israel's actions, warning that ignoring such crimes would lead to further violence by the occupying forces.