Geneva | July 31, 2025

The UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, has condemned the Israeli army’s online attacks against Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al-Sharif, calling them a deliberate attempt to endanger his life and suppress reporting on the genocide in Gaza.

Al-Sharif, reportedly the last remaining Al Jazeera journalist in northern Gaza, has faced repeated accusations by the Israeli military linking him to Hamas—claims Khan says are unsubstantiated and part of a broader strategy to silence Palestinian journalists.

With international media barred from entering Gaza, local journalists like Al-Sharif serve as critical witnesses to the conflict. Khan warned that Israel’s targeting of media workers, including killings, arbitrary arrests, and the destruction of press facilities, is aimed at obstructing documentation of potential war crimes.

As famine and civilian suffering escalate, she urged states to defend press freedom and demand an end to the targeting of journalists. “Telling the truth should not be a death sentence,” Khan said.

Source: Special Procedures/United Nations/Human Rights Council.