Gaza: Radio Presenter Duaa Sharaf Killed By Israeli Airstrike on Her Home
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is outraged at the continued killing of journalists in the region
Location: Gaza, Al-Zawaida,
Date: October 26, 2023
Palestinian journalist Duaa Sharaf and her child were killed when Israeli jets bombed their home in central Gaza. The Coalition For Women In Journalism mourns her loss and offers our heartfelt condolences to Sharaf’s grieving family and friends. The ongoing Israeli airstrikes and siege on Gaza are causing a severe humanitarian crisis for civilians. Sharaf is the fourth woman journalist to lose her life in the Israel/Palestine conflict since Hamas' attack on Israel on October 7. To date, at least 25 journalists have lost their lives while covering the conflict. This cannot continue. We strongly condemn both the indiscriminate bombing of civilians by the Israeli Defense Forces and the killing of civilians by Hamas. We urgently call for both sides to enact an immediate ceasefire to allow sufficient humanitarian aid into Gaza.
In the early hours of October 26, 2023, Israeli airstrikes struck the Al-Zawaida area in central Gaza, killing Palestinian journalist Duaa Sharaf and her young daughter. Her death was confirmed by Hamas-run Al-Aqsa Radio where Sharaf worked as a program presenter.
This marks the second Palestinian woman journalist to lose her life during the recent escalation of the conflict. On October 13, journalist Salam Mema was confirmed dead after being trapped under the rubble of her home following an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza. Mema was the leader of the Women Journalists Committee within the Palestinian Media Assembly.
Entry into or out of Gaza is currently prohibited by Israeli and Egyptian authorities who control the borders of the strip. Local journalists in Gaza, who have been enduring relentless Israeli bombardment for weeks, are left with the monumental task of reporting what is happening. They struggle to share information while facing deteriorating conditions and worrying about their safety and the well-being of their families.
In a heartbreaking incident, Al-Jazeera Arabic's bureau chief in Gaza received the news of the death of his wife, daughter, son, and grandson while broadcasting live on October 25. His family perished in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the building they had evacuated to for safety after leaving their home. Israeli airstrikes have killed at least 18 Palestinian journalists in Gaza in less than 20 days.
The decades-long conflict between Israel and Palestine was reignited on October 7, 2023, by Hamas’ horrific multi-pronged attack on towns and kibbutzim in southern Israel. The militant group murdered 1,400 people and captured over 200 hostages they took back to Gaza. Two Israeli women journalists, Shai Regev and Ayelet Arnin, were killed by Hamas in its massacre at the Supernova music festival.
In response to Hamas’s attack, Israel began its largest-ever bombing campaign of Gaza and cut off all access to water, food, fuel, and electricity in the strip. Hospitals in the region are on the verge of collapse, and at least 5,000 people have been killed since Israeli retaliatory air strikes began. The United Nations says the humanitarian crisis has reached an “unprecedented point” and calls for aid to be allowed into Gaza.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is heartbroken by the killing of Duaa Sharaf and her daughter and offers our deepest condolences to her family dealing with their loss. The deaths of Sharaf and the 24 other journalists who have lost their lives since October 7 are devastating. The ongoing killing must stop. International humanitarian law protects journalists working in war zones. Deliberately targeting the press is a war crime. We urgently call for an end to hostilities. Both Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces must cease targeting civilians and implement an immediate ceasefire to allow sufficient humanitarian aid to enter Gaza.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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