A review by The Times of Israel finds that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad have acknowledged, through obituaries published in recent weeks, that several figures previously identified as journalists were in fact members of their military wings. The finding casts new light on claims that the IDF deliberately targeted media personnel.
The Times of Israel has published a review revealing that Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) have, through official obituaries over recent weeks, admitted that several individuals previously identified as journalists were in fact combatants in their military wings. The report, based on a systematic examination of death notices published by the terror groups, includes figures who had been cited by international media and NGOs as civilian press casualties of IDF strikes.
The review is consistent with a pattern The Zioneer has documented: the IDF has repeatedly confirmed that individuals working as journalists for outlets such as Al Jazeera were also active Hamas or PIJ operatives. Earlier this month (June 20), the IDF confirmed that Ahmed Samir Muhammad Washah, an Al Jazeera photographer, was a Hamas sniper. The obituaries now provide the terror groups' own acknowledgment of the dual role, undermining allegations that the IDF unlawfully targeted media personnel.
As of this report, the IDF has not issued a separate statement on the review, and the precise number of journalist-flagged operatives among the slain has not been independently tallied. The review is sourced from the groups' own published material, lending it high evidentiary weight.
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