Mohammed Abu Sharia, managing editor of the privately-owned Shams News Agency, was injured in an Israeli airstrike in the Al-Sabra neighborhood of Gaza City on June 29, 2024, resulting in severe head injuries. He was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of the Indonesian Hospital and died on July 1.
Abu Sharia studied journalism at the Islamic University of Gaza and worked for various outlets before becoming a reporter at Shams News Agency, where he was later promoted to managing editor, the outlet said.
In June 2026, CPJ undertook a review of its documentation of journalists and media workers killed in the Israel-Gaza war since 2023.
As part of that review, which included desk research, CPJ identified and examined an obituary published by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) on Telegram in July 2026 that referred to Abu Sharia as an operative in the "Media Unit.” The obituary did not specify when Abu Sharia’s alleged affiliation or activity with the group occurred, nor did it indicate a combat role.
CPJ conducted interviews with two independent sources that knew Abu Sharia who confirmed that he worked as a managing editor throughout the latest war in Gaza.
His colleagues confirmed that he was associated with PIJ’s media unit years ago, prior to 2023, but was not involved with the group at the time of his death.
Based on the totality of the information available, CPJ was unable to determine that Abu Sharia was an active combatant, and therefore he remains classified as a journalist under the organization’s methodology, and has been retained in CPJ’s database.
This determination reflects the evidence available to CPJ at the time of its verification process. CPJ continues to review its documentation when credible new information emerges and updates its records where warranted.