Al Jazeera Clarifies Death Toll from Israeli Strike: Four Staff and Two Freelancers Killed

Al Jazeera has issued a clarification regarding the recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza that killed members of its media team. The Qatar-based broadcaster confirmed on Tuesday that four of the six journalists killed were permanent staff, while the remaining two were freelancers—contrary to its earlier report that five were staff members.

Correction of Initial Report

Initially, Al Jazeera announced that its correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, had died in the Sunday strike.
However, in an updated statement on its English-language website, the network clarified that:

Al Jazeera’s official statement read:

“An earlier version of this story referred to Israel killing five Al Jazeera staff. The number of Al Jazeera journalists Israel killed was four.”

The Attack and Reactions

The journalists were in a tent in Gaza City, northern Gaza, when the strike occurred, triggering international condemnation from journalists’ associations and human rights organisations.

The Israeli military acknowledged carrying out the strike, asserting that Anas al-Sharif—one of Al Jazeera’s most recognisable correspondents—was a “terrorist” posing as a journalist.

Al Jazeera strongly rejected these allegations, stating the attack followed:

“Repeated incitement and calls by multiple Israeli officials and spokespersons to target the fearless journalist Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues.”

Broader Context

With Gaza under blockade, numerous international media outlets, including AFP, rely heavily on local Palestinian journalists for photographic, video, and written coverage of the ongoing conflict.

According to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), by early July more than 200 journalists had been killed in Gaza since the onset of the war, including several Al Jazeera team members.