Israeli strike kills Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif in Gaza

LONDON -- The Al Jazeera media company said in a Sunday statement that five of its journalists -- including prominent correspondent Anas Al Sharif -- were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a tent housing reporters in Gaza City.

Fellow correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, cameramen Ibrahim Zaher and Moamen Aliwa and their assistant Mohammed Noufal were also killed in the attack, Al Jazeera said.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that it targeted Sharif, claiming the correspondent headed a Hamas cell and was involved in rocket attacks against Israeli targets.

Sharif was one of the best-known journalists reporting from Gaza, with millions of social media followers. He last posted to his X and Instagram accounts minutes before his death.

Al Jazeera said in a statement that it "condemns in the strongest terms the targeted assassination" of its journalists. "The order to assassinate Anas Al Sharif, one of Gaza’s bravest journalists, and his colleagues, is a desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza," it added.

Sunday's strike came after the Committee to Protect Journalists published an appeal for Sharif's protection, saying it was "gravely worried" about his safety and accusing the IDF of launching a "smear campaign," against him, which Sharif "believes is a precursor to his assassination."

The CPJ said that 186 journalists have been killed since the start of the Israel-Gaza war on Oct. 7, 2023. At least 178 of those were Palestinians killed by Israeli forces, the group said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

ABC News' Samy Zyara, Nasser Atta and Jordana Miller contributed to this report.