The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday evening disclosed that Palestinian soccer players, referees, and coaches killed during the war were operatives of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, countering what it called a false campaign accusing Israel of targeting innocent athletes. The revelation follows the release of a list of 12 terror operatives earlier in the evening.
The Israel Defense Forces on Wednesday evening expanded its disclosure of terror operatives who had been publicly presented as soccer players, revealing that the campaign included referees and coaches as well. The military said the aim was to counter what it called a false international campaign accusing Israel of deliberately targeting athletes. The expansion follows the initial release of a full list of 12 Gaza terror operatives earlier this evening.
At 18:29 Jerusalem, the IDF published a detailed list of 12 individuals — including a FIFA international assistant referee, the captain of Shabab Khan Younis, and a platoon commander — who were operatives of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, several of whom participated in the October 7, 2023, attack. The Zioneer reported on the full list at 18:48 Jerusalem. The new disclosure adds referees and coaches to the scope of the deception, with the IDF stating that the false campaign was part of a broader effort to portray eliminated operatives as innocent civilians.
As The Zioneer reported on June 22, 2026, Gaza terror groups have previously acknowledged through obituaries that figures presented as journalists were in fact military operatives, a pattern similar to the current case. The IDF's latest disclosure reinforces the military's account that Hamas and PIJ systematically embed operatives in civilian roles.
The international campaign's response to the expanded disclosure remains unclear, and it is not yet known whether the additional details will shift the narrative. The IDF's evidence is based on official intelligence, but no independent verification of the individuals' specific roles has been provided.
9 developments
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- StrongOvernight and morning strikes in Gaza eliminate five, including Hamas-linked ISIS operatives
- StrongIDF: Friday airstrikes killed two Gaza operatives who posed immediate threat
- DevelopingIDF strikes targets in Gaza overnight, operatives killed and wounded
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