Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za

4-minute read
13 August 2025 | 13:20 CAT

Anas al-Sharif reporting from Gaza, days before his tragic death. The Al-Jazeera journalist covered conflict zones under extreme danger, highlighting the risks faced by reporters in areas of ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis. 📹📰 Image credits: AFP/Getty Images

Anas al-Sharif, an Al-Jazeera correspondent, was killed alongside colleagues while reporting near a Gaza hospital, highlighting the extreme dangers facing journalists in conflict zones. The incident has reignited urgent concerns over press freedom, deliberate targeting of reporters, and the international community’s silence amid one of the world’s most devastating humanitarian crises.

In an interview with Radio Islam International, Professor Mahjoob Zweiri, director of the Gulf Studies Center at Qatar University, describes the situation as a systematic effort to silence Gaza. “This is a series of killings going on now for nearly 267 days. More than 200 journalists have been killed by the Israelis in Gaza, all of them Palestinians,” he said. “It was clear that Israel has been seriously worried about the reports coming from Gaza, because journalists are sending images and videos about this genocide, about this Holocaust of the 21st century.”

According to Professor Zweiri, these targeted attacks are not isolated. Many young Palestinian journalists have already faced threats and the loss of family members. “Anas Sharif, just for example, his dad was killed, Mohammad Khodorka, his mom was killed at the same place he was killed,” he explained. “This is an ongoing chapter of this Holocaust, under the eyes of the world, with huge silence from the international community.”

The international journalist community has been criticised for its inconsistent response. “From the assassination of Shireen Abu Akhla to the current genocide in Gaza, media platforms have largely failed to acknowledge the systematic killing of Palestinians,” Zweiri said. “Most of the outlets have shown themselves to be tools for the Israeli narrative, ignoring the voices and lives of Palestinians for months.”

With over 60,000 Palestinians killed, 20,000 children among them, and 95% of Gaza destroyed, Zweiri asserts that the international community remains divided and weak. “They do not see Gaza’s residents as human beings. They fail to send food, medicine, or protect journalists still risking their lives,” he said.

The martyrdom of Anas al-Sharif is a stark reminder of the dangers journalists face in conflict zones and the urgent need for accountability. Professor Zweiri concludes, “Those committing genocide and Holocaust will disappear in history, but the future generation will remember, and change will come.”

The world watches as Gaza’s journalists continue to report under the threat of death, their voices both vital and imperilled.

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany and Professor Mahjoob Zweiri.