According to foreign media reports, seven were killed in Israeli attack, including the fellow correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and cameramen Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa. The journalists were reporting on Israel s escalated bombing of the city when they were attacked.

Al-Sharif, 28, was an Arabic-language reporter who had covered northern Gaza extensively. In his last social media update, he documented "nonstop bombing" and "intense, concentrated fire belts" throughout Gaza City. He had also left a final message, written in anticipation of his death, speaking about his devotion to "convey the truth without distortion" in spite of multiple sorrow and loss.

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Al Jazeera denounced the killings as a "blatant and premeditated attack on press freedom," blaming Israel for attempting to silence journalists reporting on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The network urged the international community to take "decisive action" to stop what it termed genocide and the systematic targeting of reporters.

Israel s armed forces had stated al-Sharif was a Hamas militant who engaged in rocket fire, presenting "unequivocal proof" of his membership. Rights organizations, Al Jazeera, and neutral analysts have dismissed the assertions that no credible evidence has been submitted. The United Nations special rapporteur for freedom of expression, Irene Khan, had previously cautioned that the threats made by Israeli authorities against al-Sharif placed his life in imminent peril.

Since Israel began its offensive in October 2023, over 200 journalists and media professionals have been reported killed in Gaza. Rights groups claim the trend of killings combined with unfounded allegations constitutes an orchestrated attempt to silence and destroy local media voices.