New Israeli study reveals most 'journalists' killed in Gaza had terror ties, undermining trust in media. 60% were Hamas/PIJ operatives, exposing dual roles. A
As legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice resumed on Monday addressing the war against Hamas, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the hearing, calling it a “disgraceful” attempt…
New Israeli study reveals most 'journalists' killed in Gaza had terror ties, undermining trust in media. 60% were Hamas/PIJ operatives, exposing dual roles. A
By Pesach Benson and Omer Novoselsky • December 11, 2025
Jerusalem, 11 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A comprehensive study released Thursday finds that about 60% of individuals identified as journalists killed during the war in Gaza were members of or affiliated with terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The findings contradict claims by Hamas and various NGOs that 220–256 journalists were killed over two years of fighting.
The research, conducted by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, examined 266 media workers reported killed between October 7, 2023, and November 30, 2025. Of these, 157 — roughly 60% — were either members of terrorist groups or worked for outlets affiliated with them. At least 47 belonged to Hamas’s military wing and 45 were linked to Palestinian Islamic Jihad, including 18 confirmed operatives.
“The issue of Hamas’s propaganda is a high priority, and it uses a lot of media outlets abroad to talk about it,” Shlomo Mofaz, the center’s director, told The Press Service of Israel. “The narrative of harming journalists is like the number of deaths — when you check the facts and figures, it’s not like that. About 60% is definitely a very high figure.”
Researchers described a widespread “dual identity” phenomenon in which media workers simultaneously served as armed operatives.
The report highlighted systematic coordination between Hamas and the Qatar-based Al Jazeera network.
Several Al Jazeera correspondents, including Anas al-Sharif, were identified as members of Hamas’s East Jabaliya Battalion. Sharif headed a cell responsible for firing guided rockets.
Additional seized documents showed organized collaboration between Al Jazeera and Hamas, including directives on covering specific incidents and a hotline enabling direct contact during emergencies.
Mofaz said the study relied on Arabic-language sources, social media profiles, and captured Hamas documents. A roster from Hamas’ Gaza Brigade confirmed that eight individuals previously listed as unidentified journalists were actually Hamas members.
Lt. Col. (res.) Maurice Hirsch, Director of the Initiative for Palestinian Authority Accountability and Reform at the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs, who was not involved in the research, provided legal context to TPS-IL.
“I have bad news for you — there is no special protection for journalists,” Hirsch said. “A journalist is supposedly a civilian, non-combatant, not participating in the fighting. Therefore, from the point of view of international law, it is forbidden to intentionally harm someone who is not participating in the fighting, but as soon as a person participates in the fighting in one way or another, even if it is just gathering intelligence, like journalistic reports sometimes, it makes the person a legitimate target for all intents and purposes.”
Hirsch added that terror groups deliberately exploit journalistic status.
The research documented several cases where these dual-role operatives received advance warning of the October 7 attack and accompanied the terrorists to provide live coverage of the assault.
Experts told TPS-IL in 2024 that Palestinian photographers who crossed into Israel on October 7 committed war crimes.
“Of course, media companies are not supposed to employ terrorists, and they need due diligence to ensure that those they employ in combat zones are not terrorists. But unfortunately, there are elements like Al-Jazeera, which is an organization in a country that supports terrorism and Hamas, that not only have no problem including Hamas terrorists as ‘journalists,’” Hirsch added.
The study concluded that this dual-role phenomenon “undermines trust in media personnel and the credibility of their reports” and “changes the status of journalists according to international law and puts them in danger.”
Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza.
Netanyahu and Merz vow to boost Gaza stability and defense ties in Jerusalem meeting, addressing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
By Pesach Benson • December 7, 2025
Jerusalem, 7 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and german chancellor Friedrich Merz held a joint press conference in jerusalem on Sunday, pledging to strengthen bilateral cooperation and advance regional stability. The leaders focused on Gaza, the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and Germany’s role in supporting Israel’s security. The visit is Merz’s first to Israel since he was elected chancellor in May.
Netanyahu addressed the issue of a Palestinian state directly, saying, “There are differences of opinion. The goal of establishing a Palestinian state is to destroy the Jewish state. They had a state and they tried to destroy Israel from it.” He added that Israel remains open to peace but will not allow a Palestinian state alongside it.
“The Palestinian Authority is interested in peace without Israel. They do not want a Palestinian state alongside Israel. They want a Palestinian state instead of Israel. Everyone says, ‘Well, they will change.’ Well, we’ll see if they change,” Netanyahu insisted.
The prime minister outlined Israel’s phased approach to Gaza, noting that Phase B of the ceasefire is more challenging than the first phase, with Phase C aimed at deradicalizing the Strip. “We will achieve the disarmament of Hamas and demilitarize Gaza,” he said.
Netanyahu also highlighted the strategic importance of the German-Israeli relationship, saying, “Not only does Germany work to defend Israel, but israel, 80 years after the Holocaust, also works to defend Germany. We can continue this cooperation, which comes not only on a security basis but also on a technological one. We have extremely talented people in all the subjects that will change humanity.” The prime minister was referring to the deployment of Israel’s Arrow-3 air defense system in Germany on Wednesday.
Merz emphasized Germany’s commitment to Israel’s security and condemned Hamas’s actions. “At Yad Vashem, Germany’s responsibility becomes tangible, and therefore we will always stand by Israel’s security and its right to exist. After the terrorist attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, Germany stood by Israel. We mourned together and shared concerns for the fate of the kidnapped,” he said.
The chancellor also called for implementing the next stage of the peace plan facilitated by former U.S. President Donald Trump. “A peace agreement was concluded thanks to Trump, and we need to implement the second phase of the peace plan. Lasting peace is possible—the Palestinian state and a two-state solution can only be implemented through negotiations,” Merz said, adding that Hamas “cannot have a role in Gaza. It cannot pose a threat to Israel.”
Merz arrived in Israel on Saturday night and met with President Isaac Herzog at his official residence. Herzog described the two nations as “true friends” and welcomed Germany’s involvement in Gaza, particularly regarding the release of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili. “We also discussed ways to further deepen our vital partnership, in the hope of a better future,” Herzog said.
“We have become very close friends, and for me to see the Arrow-3 missiles being installed in Germany to defend Germany and Europe, Israeli-made products, is something very unique and moving and important,” Herzog added. Merz said the Gaza ceasefire is stabilizing and urged swift progress on the next phase.
Before departing for Israel, Merz spoke with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas, calling for urgent reforms and a constructive post-war role, while reaffirming Germany’s support for the Trump administration’s peace plan. The leaders also plan to discuss humanitarian aid for Gaza, regional stability, and the safety of Jewish communities in Germany.
Merz’s itinerary also includes visits with relatives of victims of Hamas’s October 7 attack.
Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza.
New X transparency tool reveals fake Gaza eyewitnesses tweeting from abroad, exposing online deception and influence.
By Pesach Benson • November 23, 2025
Jerusalem, 23 november, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A new feature on X, Elon Musk’s social media platform formerly known as Twitter, has pulled back the curtain on a sprawling network of fake accounts posing as eyewitnesses from Gaza. Users claiming to report under bombardment were revealed to be posting from countries including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Russia, Indonesia, and the United Kingdom, exposing an online industry of deception and influence almost overnight.
The update, part of X’s broader transparency initiative, adds a small “About this Account” button to profiles, displaying the country of operation, app installation location, account creation date, and the number of username changes. Users discovered numerous fakes, often masquerading as Palestinian civilians or Israeli soldiers.
One account claiming to be a “Rafah resident living under bombardment” turned out to be tweeting from Afghanistan. A “sister from Khan Yunis” was actually in Pakistan, a “father of six in a displaced persons camp” lived in Bangladesh, and a “poet from Deir al-Balah” was operating from Russia. Similar deceptions extended to accounts presenting themselves as Israeli soldiers, some based comfortably in London.
Twitter user Motasem A. Dalloul, presented himself as a “Gaza-based journalist” with a blue checkmark signifying him as a verified X user and Paypal link to support his work. But a check showed that Dalloul, who has more than 197,000 followers, is based in Poland. He posted a video purported to show himself walking around ruined buildings, but did not explain why the platform identified him as Polish.
Explaining the new tool, Nikita Bier, X’s head of product, tweeted on Saturday night, “When you read content on X, you should be able to verify its authenticity. This is critical for staying informed about important issues happening in the world. Part of this is showing new information in accounts, including the country an account is located in, among other things.”
The revelation has sparked debate about the broader impact of fabricated accounts. Lt. Col. (res.) Dudi Siman Tov, a senior researcher at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, told TPS-IL, “There is an impact when it comes to fake accounts that supposedly report from Gaza but are not really from there. It is a matter of principle… The motives are simple: to create a false representation, as if these are authentic reports. It is not only in the Gaza context, also regarding impersonating Israelis… malicious interference.”
Media researcher Noam Bannett told TPS-IL that the influence of such accounts is substantial. “The impact is very large… even if it is a complete lie, when you see something presented in black and white, it penetrates better. That was also the case in Syria, and now in Gaza. People just immediately explode,” he said.
On motivations, he added, “When you talk about Gaza, when you talk about war, there is a much bigger war of consciousness… some are official Hamas people; some are pretending to be civilians to raise funds and influence sentiment.”
Some accounts continue to insist they are genuinely on the ground, despite the location data indicating otherwise. Users have debated whether video content posted by these accounts might have artificially generated or reused backgrounds. X said it is testing a further update that could flag users employing VPNs to hide their location, making such manipulations increasingly difficult.
As news of the tool spread on X, some people tweeted instructions on how to change one’s operating country to their continent.
Bannett reflected on the broader implications: “This is not specifically related to Middle East affairs. Social networks have exploded over the last decade, and much content is consumed without verification. When people see familiar characters or videos, the instinct is to believe. Even with location transparency, the challenge is teaching users to critically assess what they see.”
Israel confirms killing key Hamas supply chief in Gaza airstrike, escalating tensions in the region. IDF takes action against terrorism.
By Ehud Amiton/TPS • November 23, 2025
Jerusalem, 23 November, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Sunday that it killed Alaa Hadidi, head of Hamas’s supply and equipment department, in an airstrike in Gaza on Saturday.
“Hadidi was a central knowledge center in the organization’s supply and production field and served during the war as a conduit for transferring weapons from Hamas headquarters to battalions and commanders in the field for fighting against our forces,” the IDF said.
The escalation followed a Hamas threat to end the ceasefire, triggered by a Palestinian gunman opening fire on Israeli troops in southern Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office confirmed that five senior Hamas officials were killed in the subsequent airstrikes, a move a US official said the Trump administration supports.
“The IDF will not tolerate attacks on our forces, and we will continue to target those responsible for terrorism,” an Israeli military spokesperson said.
The incident began Saturday morning when a gunman crossed the Yellow Line—the border dividing Israeli and Hamas-controlled Gaza—approaching IDF troops in a vehicle while using the humanitarian corridor. Soldiers returned fire, killing the operative. “He aimed his weapon at our soldiers, endangering civilians in the area,” the IDF stated, releasing footage of the confrontation.
Following the initial attack, Israeli warplanes struck multiple Hamas positions across Gaza. The identities of the four other senior Hamas officials killed alongside Hadidi have not been publicly disclosed. “These strikes disrupt Hamas’s ability to arm its fighters and threaten Israeli communities,” Netanyahu said in a statement.
In a related development, the IDF announced that it neutralized all 17 Palestinian terrorists who had attempted to escape from a Hamas tunnel on Israeli-controlled land in eastern Rafah. They had emerged Friday from underground hideouts and sought to return to the Hamas side of the Yellow Line.
“After a 24-hour operation, all infiltrators were either killed or captured,” the IDF said.
Around 1,200 people were killed and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The bodies of two Israelis and one Thai national are still held in Gaza.
As legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice resumed on Monday addressing the war against Hamas, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the hearing, calling it a “disgraceful” attempt to “politicize and abuse the legal process” aimed…
Jerusalem, 28 April, 2025 (TPS-IL) — As legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice resumed on Monday addressing the war against Hamas, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the hearing, calling it a “disgraceful” attempt to “politicize and abuse the legal process” aimed at “delegitimizing” Israel.
Briefing reporters in Jerusalem, Sa’ar stressed that Israel would not participate in the hearings in The Hague.
“We decided not to cooperate with this circus,” Sa’ar declared. “It is not Israel that should be on trial but the UN and UNRWA, which has been infiltrated by terrorists.” He accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which coordinates much of Gaza’s humanitarian aid, of employing over 1,400 known terrorists, including Mohammed Abu Itiwi, a Hamas commander who participated in the October 7 massacre. “Abu Itiwi was caught on video participating in the murder and kidnapping of Israelis near Kibbutz Re’im,” Sa’ar said.
Sa’ar also denounced UN Secretary-General António Guterres, claiming he had failed to act despite repeated Israeli warnings about UNRWA’s ties to terrorism.
“He knew what was happening at UNRWA before and after October 7, yet he did nothing to prevent the atrocities,” Sa’ar said. “He continues to whitewash the crimes of UNRWA and its terrorist employees,” Sa’ar said.
The ICJ hearings focus on Israel’s obligations to facilitate humanitarian aid for Palestinians in Gaza, following a UN General Assembly request. However, Sa’ar argued that this was the latest in a series of biased actions by the UN and its institutions against Israel, labeling the UN as “rotten, anti-Israel, and anti-Semitic.” He accused the international body of systematically undermining Israel’s right to defend itself, pointing to previous ICJ rulings that targeted Israel’s actions following the October 7 Hamas attack.
“This is the fourth proceeding against Israel in the court since the October 7 massacre,” Sa’ar noted, recounting earlier cases aimed at criminalizing Israeli actions. “First, they spread blood libels accusing Israel of genocide. Then, they attempted to block Israel’s right to acquire arms for self-defense, followed by a ruling against Israel’s historic claim to its land. And now, they want to force us to cooperate with an organization infiltrated by terrorists.”
Sa’ar also highlighted the potential bias in the tribunal, referencing Nawaf Salam, the Lebanese prime minister and former ICJ president, who had previously called Israel an “enemy state.” He questioned the fairness of a judge with such prejudices, asking, “Shouldn’t a biased judge disqualify himself?”
UNRWA has been under fire with Israeli officials demanding the agency be stripped of its authority in Gaza and defunded amid revelations that members of the agency’s staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks.
Palestinian refugees are the only refugee population with its own dedicated UN agency. The rest of the world’s refugees fall under the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
In early January, UN Watch, a Geneva-based watchdog organization, accused UNRWA of having an “unholy alliance” with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Its 55-page report accused Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, and his colleagues of enabling infiltration by Hamas and other terror groups.
According to the report, over 10% of UNRWA’s senior educators in Gaza are members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Israeli authorities have also alleged that hundreds of UNRWA’s 13,000 Gazan employees, including teachers, are active members of Hamas. It also found that the terror groups influenced UNRWA policies, indoctrinated Palestinian children through agency schools, and established military infrastructure near UNRWA’s Gaza facilities.
More than 100 survivors of Hamas’s October 7 attacks filed a $1 billion lawsuit against UNRWA in June, accusing the agency of “aiding and abetting” the terror group. According to the suit, the lead plaintiff, 84-year-old Ditza Heiman of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was held captive for seven weeks in the home of a Palestinian man who said he was a UNRWA teacher at a boy’s school. The suit also alleges that UNRWA enacted an employee payment scheme to benefit Hamas in violation of UN protocols.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
A shadowy market of Hamas-linked money changers have become Gaza’s gatekeepers of cash, enriching the terror group while ordinary Palestinians find that accessing salaries can cost as much as 40 percent, The Press Service of Israel has learned.
Jerusalem, 26 April, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A shadowy market of Hamas-linked money changers have become Gaza’s gatekeepers of cash, enriching the terror group while ordinary Palestinians find that accessing salaries can cost as much as 40 percent, The Press Service of Israel has learned.
“Hamas has essentially become Gaza’s shekel bank. It controls the flow of cash, oversees networks of money changers, and profits from every transaction — whether it’s aid, salaries, or fuel,” Eyal Ofer, an expert on Gaza’s economy and a former government advisor told The Press Service of Israel.
“In Gaza, a whole industry of money changers has emerged. People are getting aid via banking apps, but to turn that into real currency, they must go through brokers. They withdraw funds from these digital wallets and charge outrageous fees — anywhere between 20% and 40%. This is one of the ways Hamas is making a profit,” he points out.
With Gaza’s banks closed, ATMs down, and aid distributed via digital apps, Ofer estimates that 100–150 money changers are currently active in Gaza. At least half are using Hamas funds, and some have been designated for terror financing by Israel’s Ministry of Defense.
“At least half of the active money changers in Gaza operate using Hamas-controlled cash,” Ofer estimated. “Some of them are paid by Hamas, others share profits or offer strategic cooperation.”
In an indication of how deeply Hamas has embedded itself, the Israel Defense Forces announced the assassination of Said Khudari in an April 4 airstrike in Gaza City. The army said Khudari was directly tied to Hamas’ financial apparatus through the Al Wefaq Co. fund which he headed. Israel designated Al Wefaq as a terror organization “due to its involvement in the funneling of money to terrorist entities,” primarily Hamas.
And in a more unusual move, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar asked the Bank of Israel to cancel a series of 200 shekel bills that were introduced to the Gaza Strip. The Bank rejected the proposal.
In a letter to Bank of Israel Governor Prof. Amir Yaron on Thursday, Sa’ar wrote, “the bulk of Hamas’ economic vitality in the Gaza Strip is based on a stockpile of billions of shekels, in cash and banknotes, which serves it as working capital. The funds are paid as salaries to activists and returned to them within a short time in the form of taxes that they collect from merchants in the Gaza Strip.”
Sa’ar added that a team of experts estimated that “canceling the legal circulation of these notes in Israel or at least in the first and immediate stage – canceling the series of 200 shekel notes that were transferred to Gaza in previous years – will dramatically harm Hamas’s economic capacity.”
A damaged ATM machine in Gaza City on April 9, 2025. Photo by Majdi Fathi/TPS-IL
With no cash access through formal channels, money changers have become the only option for Gaza residents. Monthly aid from UNICEF, the World Food Programme, and the Palestinian Authority totals over NIS 50 million ($13.5 million) channeled through Arab digital wallets such as PalPay and Jawwal Pay. But with almost no liquidity in banks and no way to withdraw directly, citizens are forced to find a “broker.”
“I go to the market and meet people whose job is to provide cash in exchange for a fee,” Gaza resident Shahab Yousef told TPS-IL. “The fee is 20–30%. If I transfer 1,000 shekels [$271] I get back 700 [$190],” he said.
“For big purchases, I pay digitally. But at the market, I need cash, and I lose 30% every time,” Yousef added.
Another Gaza resident, Nidal Qawasmeh, expressed similar frustration to TPS-IL.
“These people are charging 30% just to give you cash. I just want to take care of my family, but everything costs me more because of this. Prices are insane.”
The issue is further complicated by mixed messages from authorities. In April, Gaza’s Chamber of Commerce launched the “Stay Ready, Stay Electronic” campaign, promoting digital payments with the slogan, “Cash Isn’t Necessary.” But the campaign was widely mocked online. Commenters noted that Taj Mall in Gaza City, where the campaign launched, still demands half its payments in cash.
Critics further accused the Chamber of Commerce of hypocrisy, saying many of its own members refuse to accept digital payments. With unreliable internet, poor digital infrastructure, and inconsistent pricing, many Gazans appear to see the cashless push as unrealistic. The Gaza Chamber of Commerce has limited independence from Hamas and remains functionally dependent on the terror group.
It seems the terror group also sends its representatives to guide the money changers on how funds should be transferred.
In one viral Telegram post, a man described a money changer openly holding bundles of 200-shekel notes next to Hamas police. In the comment in a discussion group of the activist Hamza Al-Masri dated mid-April, a Palestinian vented, “The money changer, I see him with the (Hamas-employed) policemen … I swear, he holds a bundle of 200-shekel notes, and he’s the one holding the bundle. The police soldiers with their weapons are standing in front of him, leaving him alone. You want to convince me they’re not working together?”
The Palestinian Authority also pointed fingers at Hamas.
As Palestinian Media Watch reports, in a broadcast on official PA TV on November 13, a reporter in the central Gaza city of Deir al-Balah claimed that 28% of salaries or remittances are siphoned by Hamas-affiliated entities. Additionally, a November 10 editorial in Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, the Palestinian Authority’s official daily paper, accused Hamas of monopolizing humanitarian aid for profit.
“The aid that is arriving there [in the northern Gaza Strip] after many hardships… is exclusively controlled by the Hamas militias and others, until it arrives in the greedy free market of commerce that craves forbidden profit,” the paper said.
Said Ofer to TPS-IL, “What’s happening is that Hamas is not only profiting from the cash it holds in Gaza but also laundering it through all this activity. My estimate is that they’ve accumulated around four billion shekels [$1.08 billion]. This isn’t a money shortage issue; it’s about control.”
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Thursday that one of its tanks mistakenly shelled a United Nations guesthouse in central Gaza last month, killing a UN staff member. The IDF initially denied reports of its involvement.
Jerusalem, 24 April, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Defense Forces confirmed on Thursday that one of its tanks mistakenly shelled a United Nations guesthouse in central Gaza last month, killing a UN staff member. The IDF initially denied reports of its involvement.
Following an investigation, the IDF acknowledged the fatal error. The initial findings were presented Thursday to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and UN representatives.
According to the IDF, a tank operating in the area fired at the building based on “a suspicion of enemy forces in it.” The military now says the structure was not identified by the tank crew as a UN facility.
“We express our deep sorrow for the loss and send our condolences to the family,” the IDF said in a statement, adding that it “regrets this serious incident and continues to conduct thorough review processes to draw operational lessons and evaluate additional measures to prevent such events in the future.”
Lt. Gen. Zamir ordered Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav Har-Even, who leads the investigation team, to complete the probe and deliver the full findings to the UN.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
Israeli airstrikes overnight destroyed around 40 engineering vehicles used by Hamas for terror purposes, including during the October 7 attack, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.
Jerusalem, 22 April, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli airstrikes overnight destroyed around 40 engineering vehicles used by Hamas for terror purposes, including during the October 7 attack, the Israel Defense Forces said on Tuesday.
“The Hamas terrorist organization used these vehicles to plant explosives, dig underground shelters, breach fences, and clear rubble to locate weapons and military equipment underneath,” the IDF said. “The engineering vehicles that were attacked constitute a central component of Hamas’ ability to carry out terrorist plots against IDF forces and the State of Israel.”
Many of these tools, the military said, were directly linked to the attack on southern Israel on October 7.
According to the army, Hamas’ engineering unit used heavy equipment to create dozens of breaches in the border fence, enabling waves of terrorists on motorcycles and pickup trucks to enter Israeli territory. The unit also built improvised bridges and planted explosive charges to break through defensive structures.
On March 24, the Israeli Air Force launched a similar wave of strikes specifically targeting 100 pickup trucks and other vehicles used by Hamas. The IDF said those vehicles had been used in the October 7 attack, propaganda events featuring the handover of hostages to the International Red Cross, and to transport weapons.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
The Israeli military dismissed a deputy commander and reprimanded another officer over their roles in a deadly incident when troops opened fire on a convoy of ambulances in the Tel a-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, southern Gaza, killing 15…
Jerusalem, 20 April, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israeli military dismissed a deputy commander and reprimanded another officer over their roles in a deadly incident when troops opened fire on a convoy of ambulances in the Tel a-Sultan neighborhood of Rafah, southern Gaza, killing 15 people, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday.
The deputy commander of the Golani Brigade’s reconnaissance unit was dismissed after army investigators found he gave a “partial and inaccurate” account of the incident in the initial inquiry, the IDF said.
The commander of the 14th Reserve Armored Brigade, which was overseeing operations in the area, was formally reprimanded for his “overall responsibility,” including mishandling the scene after the attack.
The IDF acknowledged that troops mistakenly identified medical personnel as Hamas operatives. “The existing guidelines on the special caution required with regard to rescue forces and medical workers, even in areas of intense combat, were sharpened and clarified,” the military said in a statement. While the investigation found no ethical violations, it cited multiple “professional errors” and breaches of protocol.
The probe determined that the March 23 incident involved three separate shootings: the first at a vehicle wrongly identified as a Hamas police car, killing two people; the second at a convoy of ambulances and a fire truck, killing 12; and a third at a UN-marked vehicle, where one UNRWA staff member was killed. The final case involved fire “in violation of orders.”
The initial shot was fired at 3:57 a.m. after Golani troops lying in ambush mistook a vehicle with red and blue markings for a Hamas vehicle. Later, around 5:06 a.m., they opened fire on a fast-approaching convoy, mistaking it for a Hamas operation. The commander, using night vision, failed to identify medical insignia. “They did not recognize vests and lights,” the IDF said.
Footage later reviewed by the IDF and cross-referenced with a New York Times video revealed that the soldiers ceased fire after realizing the convoy did not contain armed terrorists. “There was no execution,” the military emphasized, denying allegations made by Palestinian sources. One paramedic survived and was arrested; his testimony was included in the investigation.
At 5:18 a.m., a UN-marked vehicle arrived. Although troops identified it as a UN vehicle, they still opened fire, killing the staff member. The IDF confirmed this action violated standing orders.
After the incident, bodies were covered with netting, vehicles were crushed, and the scene was buried in sand on orders from the brigade commander. The IDF said this was done to shield the scene from civilians as evacuations continued. “The vehicles should not have been run over and buried,” the military later acknowledged. UN representatives were eventually able to retrieve the bodies, with the final remains recovered on March 30.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
Israel confirmed on Tuesday the death of Hamas commander Muhammad al-‘Ajlah, who was eliminated in an airstrike in the northern Gaza area of Shejaiya on Sunday...
Jerusalem, 15 April, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel confirmed on Tuesday the death of Hamas commander Muhammad al-‘Ajlah, who was eliminated in an airstrike in the northern Gaza area of Shejaiya on Sunday. Al-‘Ajlah is fifth commander of the terror group’s Shejaiya battalion killed since the October 7 attacks.
The Israel Defense Forces said al-‘Ajlah became the Shejaiya battalion’s commander less than one week ago last week, succeeding Haitham Sheikh Khalil, who Israeli forces killed on April 9.
“Throughout the war, the terrorist al-‘Ajlah served as the commander of a combat support company in the Shejaiya battalion. He was responsible for arming the battalion’s terrorists with weapons used to carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” the IDF said.
“Al-‘Ajlah was the fifth commander of Hamas’ Shejaiya battalion to be eliminated since the beginning of the war, and the third since the start of the renewed operations in Gaza,” the military added.
The IDF was referring to Jamil al-Wadidya, who was killed on March 18 after the collapse of a temporary ceasefire. Two other Shejaiya battalion commanders, Imad Qreiqa and Wissam Farhat, were killed in separate strikes in December 2023.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 59 remaining hostages, 36 are believed to be dead.
