Mourners carry the body of Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif, during the funeral for him, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and another colleague, who were killed in an Israeli strike, in Gaza City August 11, 2025. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
FILE PHOTO: Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivers a statement inside No. 10 Downing Street on the day the cabinet was recalled to discuss the situation in Gaza, in London, Britain, July 29, 2025. REUTERS/Toby Melville/Pool/File Photo

LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is "gravely concerned" about the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza, his spokesperson said on Monday, after five reporters were killed in an Israeli airstrike.

Israel's military said it targeted and killed prominent Al Jazeera journalist Anas Al Sharif, alleging he had headed a Hamas militant cell and was involved in rocket attacks on Israel.

Al Jazeera, which is funded by the Qatari government, rejected the assertion, and before his death, Al Sharif had also rejected such claims by Israel.

"We are gravely concerned by the repeated targeting of journalists in Gaza," Starmer's spokesperson told reporters.

"Reporters covering conflicts are afforded protection under international humanitarian law, and journalists must be able to report independently, without fear, and Israel must ensure journalists can carry out their work safely."

Asked about the claim that one of the journalists was linked to Hamas, Starmer's spokesperson said: "That should be investigated thoroughly and independently, but we are gravely concerned by the repeated targeting of journalists".

(Reporting by Alistair Smout. Writing by Andrew MacAskill. Editing by Sachin Ravikumar)