Palestinian journalists in Gaza were defiant after Israel killed six of their colleagues in a strike condemned around the world.
The Israeli army admitted it deliberately killed Anas Al Sharif, 28, in an air strike in Gaza city. His Al Jazeera colleagues Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Moamen Aliwa and Mohammed Noufal were also killed.
In a poignant message prepared by Mr Al Sharif in the event of his death, he said he had "never hesitated to convey the truth as it is", despite having "tasted grief and loss repeatedly". Israel claimed Mr Al Sharif had been a Hamas operative who "served as the head of a terrorist cell" while posing as a journalist, which Al Jazeera denied.
Speaking to The National, a number of Palestinian journalists vowed not to give in to what they saw as another Israeli attempt to silence them. “The message will not stop,” Waleed Abdul Rahman, a journalist with Palestine TV, told The National.
The deaths bring the number of journalists killed by Israel since the war began in October 2023, following the Hamas-led attack, to more than 180, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Qatar, which hosts Al Jazeera, condemned the killings on Monday. "The deliberate targeting of journalists by Israel in the Gaza Strip reveals how these crimes are beyond imagination, amid the inability of the international community and its laws to stop this tragedy," Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said.
Reuters reported that a sixth journalist, Mohammad Al Khaldi, was also killed in the strike, citing hospital staff. Another person yet to be identified was among the dead.
Funerals were held on Monday, with the bodies taken from Al Shifa Hospital to the victims' respective houses then on to Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in Gaza city for burial. The deaths bring the number of journalists killed by Israel during the war in Gaza to more than 180, the Committee to Protect Journalists said.
Al Jazeera staff held televised memorial at the news network's Doha headquarters.
Mr Abdul Rahman noted the timing of the attack coincided with an imminent ground occupation of Gaza city. “It confirms the occupation’s premeditated intention to commit crimes and its fear of being exposed by journalists,” he explained.
Journalist Wadie Abu Al Soud described the victims as “an imprint of the Palestinian narrative that travelled across the world without compromise”, covering a war that has shifted from fighting Hamas to starving an entire population and preparing to take over their land.
Palestinian narrative
Momen Qreiqa, another journalist in Gaza, compared the killings to political intimidation elsewhere in the world: “This assassination is no different from threatening to prosecute newspapers simply for publishing the occupation’s crimes and the famine in Gaza. It is about silencing truth-tellers.”
Journalist groups in Gaza have been urging the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union and other press bodies to take immediate action.
For those who knew Anas, Mohammed and their fallen colleagues, the grief is deep, but so is their determination.
“The occupation wants to silence the message. But nothing will stop the message. The Palestinian narrative will continue to reach the world,” stressed Mr Abdul Rahman.
Islam El Zaanoun of Palestine TV echoed the sentiment, saying the deadly strike was “a painful but unsurprising tragedy”.
“We know that a press vest cannot protect us from Israeli missiles,” she told The National. "We are part of the siege and the killing. Foreign journalists must be brought in to help Palestinian journalists continue this coverage."
The UN's human rights office also condemned the killings, calling for "immediate, safe and unhindered access to Gaza for all journalists", which Israel has refused to grant.
The head of the UN's cultural agency Unesco called for an investigation. Audrey Azoulay said "targeting journalists covering conflicts is unacceptable and against international humanitarian law".
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday said he was "gravely concerned" about journalists being targeted repeatedly in Gaza, his spokesman said in London. War reporters "must be able to report independently, without fear and Israel must ensure journalists can carry out their work safely", Mr Starmer's spokesman said.
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
