The IDF said Sunday night that it carried out an airstrike in Gaza City that killed Anas al-Sharif, a prominent Al Jazeera reporter, describing him as a Hamas “terrorist operating under the guise of a journalist.”

In a statement, the military said al-Sharif served as a cell leader within Hamas, advancing plans for rocket fire against Israeli civilians and IDF troops. The IDF claimed he was a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba Force in the East Jabalia Battalion and previously led a rocket-launching squad.

According to the IDF, documents seized in Gaza and released in October “unequivocally” confirm al-Sharif’s military affiliation with Hamas. “These documents serve as proof of the terrorist’s integration into the Qatari Al Jazeera media network,” the statement said.

Al Jazeera has denied Israel’s allegations, accusing the IDF of a “systematic campaign” to target its employees in Gaza. The network confirmed al-Sharif’s death alongside fellow journalist Mohammed Qreiqeh and videographers Ibrahim Zaher and Mohammed Noufal, saying the strike hit a tent near Shifa Hospital.

The IDF said it used precision munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence to minimize civilian casualties.

Moments before his death, al-Sharif posted video footage of Israeli strikes on social media, writing on X: “Relentless bombing… For two hours, the Israeli aggression on Gaza City has intensified.”

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