Duaa Sharaf
{{Short description|Palestinian journalist and radio presenter}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Duaa Sharaf
| native_name = دعاء شرف
| native_name_lang = ar
| image =
| caption = Duaa Sharaf in 2023
| birth_date = {{Birth date|2023|10|26}}
| birth_place = Al-Zawaida, Gaza Strip, Palestine
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|10|26|1991|1|1}}
| death_place = Al-Zawaida, Gaza Strip, Palestine
| death_cause = Israel-Hamas war bombing strike
| occupation = Journalist
Radio presenter
| years_active = ?–2023
| employer = Radio Al-Aqsa
| known_for = Journalism during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war
}}
Duaa Sharaf (1991 – October 26, 2023) was a Palestinian journalist and radio presenter who worked for Radio Al-Aqsa in the Gaza Strip. She became a symbol of the dangers faced by journalists in conflict zones after she and her young daughter were killed in an Israeli airstrike on their home in Al-Zawaida, central Gaza.{{Cite web |title=Duaa Sharaf – INSI |url=https://newssafety.org/casualties/detail/143205/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=International News Safety Institute}}
Career
She resided with her family in Al-Zawaida, a town located in the central region of the Gaza Strip.{{Cite news |date=2023-10-26 |title=Palestinian journalist killed in Israeli air strikes on Gaza |url=https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20231026-palestinian-journalist-killed-in-israeli-air-strikes-on-gaza/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=Middle East Monitor}} Sharaf was employed as a radio presenter at Radio Al-Aqsa, a broadcasting outlet linked to Hamas. Through her work, she became a recognizable voice in the Palestinian media landscape, contributing to the station's coverage of political and social affairs in Gaza.{{Cite web |title=IFJ mourns Palestinian journalist Duaa Sharaf |url=https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/article/duaa-sharaf |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=International Federation of Journalists|date=26 October 2023 }}
At Radio Al-Aqsa, Duaa Sharaf served as both a presenter and a reporter, covering local developments and producing programs aimed at raising public awareness. Her journalism centered on delivering news and shedding light on pressing social matters and the ongoing humanitarian challenges faced by the people of Gaza.{{Cite web |date=2023-10-26 |title=Gaza Radio Presenter Duaa Sharaf Killed By Israeli Airstrike on Her Home |url=https://www.womeninjournalism.org/threats-all/gaza-radio-presenter-duaa-sharaf-killed-by-israeli-airstrike-on-her-home |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=Coalition For Women In Journalism}}
Death
On October 26, 2023, amid one of the most intense phases of the Israel–Hamas war, an Israeli airstrike targeted the area where Sharaf lived. The strike hit her home, resulting in the deaths of both Sharaf and her young daughter. Their loss underscored the devastating impact of the conflict on civilians, particularly women and children, and brought renewed attention to the dangers faced by journalists and their families in active war zones.{{Cite news |date=2024 |title=Journalists killed in Israel-Gaza war |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2024/israel-gaza-war-journalists-killed-cpj/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}{{Cite news |date=2023-10-26 |title=Palestinian journalist, her child killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza |url=https://www.trtworld.com/middle-east/palestinian-journalist-her-child-killed-in-israeli-airstrike-on-gaza-15555102 |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=TRT World}}{{Cite news |date=2023-10-26 |title=Palestinian journalist, her child killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/palestinian-journalist-her-child-killed-in-israeli-airstrike-on-gaza/3032902 |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=Anadolu Agency}}
Reactions
Sharaf's killing was met with widespread international criticism. Organizations including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the Coalition For Women In Journalism (CFWIJ), and the International News Safety Institute (INSI) reported on and denounced the incident.{{Cite web |title=Committee to Protect Journalists – Duaa Sharaf |url=https://cpj.org/data/people/duaa-sharaf/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=Committee to Protect Journalists}}
Legacy
{{Unsourced section|date=May 2025}}
Sharaf is remembered as one of numerous Palestinian journalists who lost their lives during the conflict. Their passing have intensified international demands for safeguarding journalists in war zones and for conducting impartial inquiries into assaults targeting media workers.