Al-Awda, the Palestine Right to Return Coalition, condemns the latest outrageous massacre of Palestinian journalists, part of the ongoing US-Zionist genocide against our people in the Gaza Strip. Just before midnight on Sunday, August 10, occupation forces deliberately targeted beloved leaning journalist Anas al-Sharif, the voice of Gaza – only 29 years old, and his entire team with Al-Jazeera, for assassination. “Israeli” forces assassinated six journalists and one nearby civilian in their press tent outside the Al-Shifa Medical Complex. The martyrs of truth are:

• Anas al-Sharif, Al-Jazeera correspondent
• Mohammed Qreiqa, Al-Jazeera correspondent
• Ibrahim Daher, Al-Jazeera cameraman
• Moamen Aliwa, Al-Jazeera cameraman
• Mohammed Nofal, Al-Jazeera team support
• Mohammed al-Khaldi, Sahat Media reporter
• Saber Jundiya, local civilian near the tent at the time of the attack

This latest assassination of journalists raises the number of members of the media killed by the genocidal Israeli forces to 237 since 7 October 2023, making the genocide in Gaza the most deadly for journalists in recorded history. Not only does the occupation continue to target journalists, it in fact boasts about its blatant war crimes and crimes against humanity, with its official outlets posting images minutes after the attack bragging about “eliminating” Al-Sharif, whose 24/7 coverage throughout the past 22 months of genocide has made him an internationally renowned journalist and beloved representative of Palestinians in Gaza, and their refusal to accept ethnic cleansing and displacement.

Throughout the past 22 months, Al-Sharif has been repeatedly and openly threatened by various Israeli officials and media spokespersons, and despite having every reason to fear for his life, refused to stop reporting or to leave Gaza. “The only way I will leave Gaza will be to heaven,” he said on multiple occasions. This follows the repeated incitement against and assassination of Palestinian journalists like Hassan Eslaih, Samer Abu Daqqa, Ismail al-Ghoul, Wafa al-Udaini, Hossam Shabat and hundreds more.

It is clear to all: The genocide in Gaza is a war on Palestinian existence, and a war on truth itself. The repeated assassinations of journalists – boasted about with confident impunity – are intended to permanently silence the brilliant, courageous voices of Palestinian journalists, who have carefully documented and exposed the world’s first live-streamed genocide.

Anas al-Sharif, the father of Sham and Salah, husband of Bayan, is a Palestinian refugee born in Jabalia refugee camp in Gaza. His father was assassinated by the Zionist genocidal forces in December 2023 in another attempt to stop his reporting and silence his voice. In his moving last will, written several months ago during another fever pitch of threats of assassination and published after his martyrdom, he said: “My hope was that God would grant me a long enough life until I could return, with my family and loved ones, to our original town in occupied Asqalan (al-Majdal). But God’s will is supreme, and His judgment is final.”

Throughout his reporting, Anas al-Sharif and his colleagues exposed the reality of the genocide, conveyed the Palestinian narrative to the world, highlighted the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza – including documenting the imposed, engineered famine created by “Israel” and its U.S. partners in Gaza – and stood as beacons of truth above the bitter ashes of genocide.

Anas al-Sharif was one of the most prominent journalists covering the imposed famine in Gaza, the children and adults being killed by imposed starvation and the ongoing massacres at the so-called “Gaza Humanitarian Foundation” sites run by U.S. and Israeli intelligence and private contractors/mercenaries. In other words, his work and documentation led to a new wave of exposure of the crimes of the Zionist regime and global outrage – and the occupation put another target on his back.

We cannot let the lives and legacy of Anas al-Sharif and his over 237 colleagues pass without meaningful action now. It is long past time for international journalists to end their active complicity in reporting from Israeli press conferences while accepting that the genocidal regime bars access to Gaza for foreign journalists. This is not to supplant the voices of Palestinian journalists nor render them “more credible” – those Palestinians risking their lives for truth daily are the highest sources of credibility – but to provide real protection for their colleagues under open threat of assassination.

These assassinations and massacres must compel us all to organize, mobilize and act to impose a real, two-way arms embargo on Israel and isolate it entirely in international forums, trade, culture, sports and academic exchange. Act to expose all complicit forces and compel them to open the crossings denying food and basic needs to Palestinians in Gaza; the GHF death traps and humiliating airdrops are not what our people need – they need dignity, food, and life without a genocidal assault.

• Demonstrate, take direct action, and shut it down for Palestine.
• Mobilize for mass actions at public squares, federal buildings and complicit institutions
• Take direct action against the war machine, such as blockading cargo for Israel – particularly weaponry – at ports and other shipping points
• Surround the embassies and consulates of the occupation, the offices of the nonprofits funding it, and their complicit partners, from members of Congress to corporations. Shut them down with people power: make it impossible for them to carry out their genocidal day-to-day activities.
• Continue to confront the embassies of complicit Arab regimes like those of Egypt and Jordan – there must be real, meaningful counter-pressure to U.S. orders for genocide participation.

This is a particular responsibility for us in the United States, which consistently provides ongoing military, intelligence, political and unlimited financial support to the Zionist regime despite the broad rejection of the people of the country. We must answer the demand of Anas in his final words:

“I entrust you not to let chains silence you, nor borders restrain you. Be the bridges toward the liberation of the land and the people, until the sun of dignity and freedom rises over our stolen homeland.”