Gaza Herald- At the first US State Department press briefing since Israeli forces killed a team of journalists in northern Gaza on Sunday, including Al Jazeera’s most prominent correspondent in the enclave, Anas al-Sharif, the Trump administration dismissed the incident as an inevitable tragedy of war and deferred to Israel for any investigation.
While expressing “concern about the loss of any innocent life,” spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday that “many of you know of someone who’s been killed, who you’ve worked with because of a war situation.” Responding to a question from an Al Jazeera Arabic correspondent about whether she accepted Israel’s justification for targeting Sharif, Bruce described the conflict as “a complicated, horrible situation” and insisted that Israel had presented evidence accusing him of being part of Hamas and supporting its October 7 attack.
Sharif, a 28-year-old father of two and longtime Al Jazeera journalist, had repeatedly stated that he had no political affiliation. Nevertheless, Bruce suggested that Hamas has historically “embedded members in society, including posing as journalists.”
Israeli Strike Wipes Out Al Jazeera Team
Late on Sunday, Israeli forces deliberately killed six Palestinian journalists, five of them working for Al Jazeera, in what is described as a targeted drone strike. The attack came just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected international criticism of his plans to occupy Gaza.
Al Jazeera Media Network said its correspondents Anas al-Sharif and Mohammed Qreiqeh, along with four colleagues, were hit when Israeli forces struck their tent outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The network described them as “among the last remaining voices from within Gaza” and praised their courageous live coverage, which provided the world with raw, unfiltered accounts of the destruction and suffering endured by Palestinians over 22 months of relentless bombardment.
When asked if the US would support an independent commission to investigate the killing of journalists, 247 of whom have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023, according to the local media office, Bruce dismissed suggestions that Israel could not investigate itself. She argued that Israel is “a nation fighting a war” against a group she accused of using civilians and civilian infrastructure as shields, and said Washington expected its ally to conduct any necessary inquiries.
US Stance on Investigations and Accountability
Bruce pushed back at claims that Israel routinely fails to hold itself accountable for attacks on civilians, including journalists. She repeated allegations that Hamas has used hospitals, schools, and residential areas for military purposes, describing such actions as “the worst example of the barbarity of human beings.”
From the podium, she reiterated the US call for Israel to investigate such incidents, stating that the United States would “follow up to see what those results are.” Her comments echoed a long-standing US position that relies on Israel to police its conduct, despite repeated concerns from rights groups about the credibility of such investigations.
US Aid Funding and the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation’s Record
Turning to humanitarian aid, Bruce confirmed that half of the $30 million pledged by the Trump administration to the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a private entity backed by Washington, has already been distributed. She said the administration has been working for a ceasefire “specifically for the reasons we all care about, which is the aid for the people of Gaza,” but accused Hamas of waging war against its population by refusing to stop fighting.
According to Bruce, GHF has distributed 120 million meals so far. However, the US figures remain unclear, with Palestinians describing the rations as meager. The United Nations reports that nearly 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli soldiers, armed drones, or US military contractors at the four GHF sites. Despite early efforts to distance the administration from the foundation, Bruce has increasingly defended it, saying, “Nothing will ever be enough in a war zone. The war zone has to stop. It has to end. What I can tell you is what this administration is trying to do: stop it, finally, once and for all.”
The muted US response to the killing of journalists in Gaza underscores Washington’s unwavering alignment with Israel, even in the face of mounting evidence of targeted attacks on the press. For many Palestinians, this stance signals not only the absence of accountability but also the erosion of protections for those risking their lives to document the war. As Gaza’s remaining reporters continue their work under constant threat, the prospect of justice for slain journalists grows ever more remote.
