A group of journalists working for Al Jazeera were killed over the weekend in what the network is calling an attack by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza.
The network condemned the attack that killed correspondents Anas Al Sharif and Mohammed Qraiqea, along with photographers Ibrahim Al Thaher and Mohamed Nofal, calling their deaths an “assassination,” and “another blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom.”
The journalists were targeted by a directed assault towards the tent where they were stationed opposite Al-Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza, the network said. It blasted Israeli occupation forces for what it called a “desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.”
In a statement on Monday, the committee to protect journalists called the attack “murder” and condemned Israel over the incident.
“Israel is murdering the messengers,” said CPJ Regional Director Sara Qudah. “Israel wiped out an entire news crew. It has made no claims that any of the other journalists were terrorists. That’s murder. Plain and simple.”
The Associated Press noted the incident was the first time during the 22-month war that Israel’s military claimed responsibility after a journalist was killed in a strike, and had previously argued the journalists were part of members of the militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
