"Silencing the Coverage": Israel Assassinates 5 Al Jazeera Journalists in Targeted Strike in Gaza

We speak with Al Jazeera managing editor Mohamed Moawad after Israel assassinated five of the network's journalists in Gaza, including veteran correspondent Anas al-Sharif, in an airstrike Sunday on a media tent outside Al-Shifa Hospital. Al Jazeera has condemned the attack as an attempt to silence reporting on Israel's planned seizure and occupation of Gaza. The strike also killed Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed Noufal, and came just weeks after the United Nations and press freedom advocates warned al-Sharif's life was at risk following Israeli accusations linking him to Hamas.

"The pattern is clear: degrading, delegitimizing, smearing, and then killing," says Moawad. He says the network, which is one of the few international outlets with local journalists, is now "scrambling" to cover the conflict as Israel prepares a renewed assault and occupation of the territory. "They went after Al Jazeera because we are the only international organization covering the conflict from the frontline."

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