Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has strongly condemned the killing of five Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza City, calling it a "cold-blooded murder" and "yet another heinous crime committed on Palestinian soil". The journalists, including Anas al-Sharif, were reportedly killed in a targeted Israeli strike on a tent housing journalists.

Gandhi expressed her outrage on X, highlighting the "immeasurable courage" of journalists who "dare to stand for the truth". She asserted that "the violence and hatred of the Israeli state" would never break their spirit. In a world where much of the media is, according to her, "enslaved to power and commerce," she said these journalists reminded everyone "of what true journalism is".

The Al Jazeera media network also described the incident as a "targeted assassination". The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed targeting Anas al-Sharif, alleging he was a leader in a Hamas terrorist cell and involved in coordinating rocket attacks. However, the IDF did not comment on the deaths of the other journalists. Al Jazeera has refuted these allegations, stating that al-Sharif was an accredited reporter and a vital voice for understanding the situation in Gaza.

The United Nations human rights office has condemned the strike on the journalists' tent, calling it a grave breach of international humanitarian law. Media rights groups and other international bodies have also voiced their condemnation of the killings. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has criticized Israel's pattern of accusing slain journalists of militant ties without providing sufficient evidence.

Priyanka Gandhi has been a vocal critic of Israel's actions in Gaza and has consistently expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. Her recent statement underscores her unwavering stance on the importance of protecting journalists and upholding press freedom, even in conflict zones. She emphasized that "true journalism" involves courageous truth-seeking, especially when powerful entities attempt to control the narrative.

The incident comes amid ongoing restrictions on foreign journalists entering Gaza, making it increasingly reliant on local reporters to provide coverage. According to the Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, more than 61,000 people have been killed since Israel launched its military campaign in response to the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack, which left about 1,200 Israelis dead and 251 taken hostage.