First Thing: Prominent Al Jazeera correspondent among five journalists killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza

<p>Israel admits deliberate attack on the journalist, known for frontline coverage, in a strike on a tent outside al-Shifa hospital. Plus, Sharon Stone on making her comeback</p><p>Good morning.</p><p>A prominent Al Jazeera journalist who had previously been threatened by Israel has been killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike.</p><p><strong>What did Israel say about the attack?</strong> The Israel Defense Forces admitted the strike and claimed the reporter had “served as the head of a terrorist cell in the Hamas terrorist organisation”. It claimed it had intelligence and documents found in Gaza as proof, but rights advocates said he had been targeted for his frontline reporting on the Gaza war and that Israel’s claim lacked evidence.</p><p><strong>What else is going on in the region?</strong> Benjamin Netanyahu has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/10/netanyahu-defends-gaza-city-plan-as-un-warns-of-calamity-and-starvation">defended his plan to take control of Gaza City</a> in the face of widespread international outrage.</p><p><strong>What was the reaction to the interview?</strong> Within minutes of the Fox News interview being broadcast, social media began to hum with renewed cries of “release the files!” Jon Favreau, Barack Obama’s former head speechwriter, said: “Release the names! Democrats, Republicans, billionaires, or not. What are you afraid of, JD Vance?”</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/11/first-thing-prominent-al-jazeera-correspondent-among-five-journalists-killed-in-israeli-airstrike-on-gaza">Continue reading...</a>