By Dayo Ade Olusola | World News | 11 August 2025
The United Nations secretary-general has condemned the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza during an Israeli strike and has called for an independent, impartial investigation into the incident.
Speaking at a media briefing, a spokesperson for the UN chief said the deaths highlighted the severe dangers faced by reporters covering the ongoing war.
“These latest killings underscore the extreme risks that journalists continue to face when reporting on this conflict,” the spokesperson said.
He added that the secretary-general was urging a full investigation to establish the facts and ensure accountability.
According to UN figures, at least 242 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the conflict erupted, making it one of the deadliest environments for media workers in modern history.
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The incident involved five members of Al Jazeera’s news team, who were killed when their vehicle was struck in northern Gaza. Local medics later reported that a sixth journalist, a freelancer, also died in the same strike.
Earlier today, the UN’s human rights office condemned the killings, describing the attack as a “grave breach of international humanitarian law.”
Israel has defended the strike, claiming that one of the journalists, Anas al-Sharif, was a Hamas operative allegedly linked to its rocket-firing division.
However, Israeli officials have not provided similar allegations regarding the other victims in the attack.
Al Jazeera, which has long accused Israel of deliberately targeting its staff in Gaza, described the latest killings as part of a broader pattern of violence against journalists in the territory.
Press freedom groups have also expressed outrage, with the Committee to Protect Journalists calling the deaths “an unacceptable assault on the press” and renewing calls for international accountability.
The killings come amid intensified Israeli military operations in Gaza, where heavy bombardment and ground assaults have continued despite mounting international pressure for a ceasefire.
Human rights experts say the scale of journalist fatalities in the territory raises serious questions about the conduct of hostilities and compliance with the laws of war.
International law grants journalists civilian status and prohibits targeting them unless they are directly participating in hostilities.
The International Federation of Journalists said the latest incident should be referred to the International Criminal Court as a potential war crime.
Meanwhile, the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories reiterated calls for the protection of journalists, warning that their deaths severely undermine independent reporting from conflict zones.
Family members of those killed have described the journalists as dedicated professionals committed to telling the stories of civilians caught in the war.
Funerals were held in Gaza on Monday, with colleagues and relatives carrying press vests stained with blood as a symbol of protest.
Al Jazeera has vowed to pursue legal action through international courts, saying it will not allow the deaths of its staff to go unpunished.
The secretary-general’s call for an independent investigation has been echoed by several governments, with some urging the establishment of a UN-led fact-finding mission.
The situation in Gaza remains volatile, with the death toll among civilians, aid workers and journalists continuing to rise amid unrelenting Israeli strikes.
The latest attack has reignited a global debate over the protection of media workers in war zones — and the consequences for those who violate these protections.
