The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has recently admitted to killing Al Jazeera journalist Ismail al-Ghoul during an attack in Gaza last year. The IDF claims that al-Ghoul was involved in a Hamas attack on the Jewish state and was an active participant in last year’s violence.
On Wednesday, Al Jazeera reported that two of its journalists, al-Ghoul and his cameraman Rami al-Rifi, were killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza. The Qatar-based network, which has long had strained relations with the Israeli government, said their vehicle was directly targeted in the Shati refugee camp.
Al Jazeera described the incident as a “targeted assassination,” vowing to “pursue all legal actions to prosecute the perpetrators of these crimes.” The network also stated that the two were preparing a report near the house of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, who was killed in a bombing in Tehran earlier this week. Iran and Hamas accused Israel of orchestrating the attack; West Jerusalem neither confirmed nor denied involvement.
The Israeli military did not initially respond to Al Jazeera’s accusations but issued a statement on Thursday claiming that it “struck and eliminated” al-Ghoul, describing him as “a Hamas military wing operative and Nukhba terrorist who participated in the October 7 massacre.” The IDF added that al-Ghoul “instructed other operatives on how to record operations and was actively involved in recording and publicizing attacks against IDF troops,” describing his actions as “vital part of Hamas’ military activity.” The statement made no mention of Rami al-Rifi’s death, nor did it specify whether al-Ghoul was directly involved in the fighting.
Al Jazeera has vehemently denied these allegations, calling them “baseless” and stating that the incident highlights Israel’s long history of fabrications and false evidence used to cover up its crimes. The network also noted that the Israelis had “abducted” al-Ghoul in March and “detained him for a period of time before his release,” which it claims debunks and refutes the IDF’s claim of his affiliation with any organization.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has so far resulted in the deaths of over 39,000 Palestinians, according to local health authorities, and brought unprecedented destruction to Gaza. Some 1,400 Israelis have also been killed, according to a count by Israeli officials. At least 113 journalists and media workers have been confirmed killed as of August 1, 2024 – most of them Palestinians, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported.