“We loved him deeply”: Canadian Muslim mourns relative, Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, killed in Gaza

“We loved him deeply and admired him more than words can convey. He was a hero to us, to his people, and to everyone who believes in truth.”

These are the words of Safiyyah Ally, a well-known Canadian Muslim leader and co-founder of the Toronto-based Muslim Media Hub, in a deeply personal Facebook post mourning her husband’s nephew, Anas Jamal al-Sharif, the well-known 28-year-old Al Jazeera journalist murdered in an Israeli airstrike outside al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.

My husband’s nephew, Al Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif, was killed moments ago - Inna lilla wa inna ilayhi rajiun.

We loved him deeply and admired him more than words can convey. He was a hero to us, to his people, and to everyone who believes in truth.

He endured the bombings, displacement, and hunger that everyone else in Gaza endured, and on top of that, he experienced constant, life-threatening risks because Israel did not want journalists to show the world what was happening in Gaza.

For almost two years, he lived apart from his wife, children, family, and friends so that they would not be targeted because of his work. And yet he was always smiling. He had a warmth and energy that made people feel lighter just by being near him.Our hearts are shattered.

Oh Allah, we ask you to grant him the highest levels of jannah, envelop his family in your Love and Mercy, and raise others as brave and steadfast to carry his torch. Oh Allah, help us bear this unbearable loss

Anas al-Sharif was killed alongside four colleagues in a targeted Israeli attack on a tent housing journalists in Gaza City.

Seven people were killed overall in the attack on the tent located outside the main gate of Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital late on Sunday evening.

They include Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa.

Colleagues recall Anas al-Sharif's courage under fire, his warm spirit, and his unflinching commitment to telling the truth.

In April 2025, al-Sharif wrote a will and final message for release in the event of his death:

“If these words reach you, know that Israel has succeeded in killing me and silencing my voice… I never once hesitated to convey the truth… I entrust you with Palestine, the jewel in the crown of the Muslim world… I entrust you with my daughter Sham… my son Salah… my mother… my beloved wife Umm Salah (Bayan)… If I die, I die steadfast upon my principles. O Allah, accept me among the martyrs… Do not forget Gaza… And do not forget me in your sincere prayers for forgiveness and acceptance.”

U.S. Muslim leader Dr. Omar Suleiman wrote on X:

“Israel just killed Al Jazeera’s Anas al-Sharif, a man whose only weapon was the truth he captured through his lens. Anas and over 200 journalists murdered were witnesses to a genocide Israel is desperate to hide from the world. May Allah have mercy on him.”

For his family, Anas al-Sharif was a devoted son, husband, and father who sacrificed his safety and proximity to loved ones for their protection. 

For Gaza, he was a steadfast voice who bore witness to war’s harshest realities.

As Safiyyah Ally wrote in her tribute: “Our hearts are shattered.” Yet through his reporting, his final testament, and the memories he leaves behind, his voice continues to challenge silence and call the world to remember Gaza—and to remember him.

The death of Anas al-Sharif has struck a deep chord among Canadian Muslim families with relatives trapped in Gaza’s war zone. 

Thousands of Canadians have family connections to Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, and many are experiencing anxiety, grief, and helplessness amid the relentless violence.

A recent report by CBC News (August 2025) highlights stories of Canadian families desperately trying to contact loved ones in Gaza, facing blocked communications and the fear of the unknown. 

One Toronto-based family shared how they received intermittent updates from relatives caught in the bombing campaigns, living under constant threat of displacement and death. 

The anguish of not knowing their fate weighs heavily on Canadian communities nationwide.

The Canadian Council for Refugees has urged the federal government to facilitate humanitarian corridors and emergency family reunifications, as many Canadians report urgent concerns about loved ones’ safety.