Al-Jazeera ‘Journalist’ Was Hamas Nukhba Terrorist

Latest Developments

An Al-Jazeera employee killed during an airstrike in Gaza was a member of Hamas’s elite Nukhba force, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) revealed on August 1. Ismail al-Ghoul and another Al-Jazeera colleague, Rami Al-Rifi, died in a missile strike on their car near Shati in the northern Gaza Strip on July 31, prompting the Qatari television channel to accuse Israel of “assassinating” its journalists.

The IDF and Shin Bet said al-Ghoul had been a Nukhba terrorist who took part in the October 7 massacre that sparked the Gaza war. He instructed Hamas operatives on how to record attacks on IDF forces and published the resulting videos, which the IDF’s statement said was “a vital part of Hamas’s military activity.” There was no immediate Israeli comment on al-Rifi’s death.

The IDF previously arrested al-Ghoul during a firefight at Shifa Hospital on March 18 but released him 12 hours later.

Expert Analysis

“Not only was Israel right to ban Al-Jazeera’s local broadcasts because they disseminated Hamas propaganda — if anything, this was the mildest of the channel’s sins. It is becoming increasingly clear that many of its staff in Gaza were Hamas terrorists posing as reporters. How many hostage videos were made by people on the Al-Jazeera payroll, using Al-Jazeera cameras and Al-Jazeera editing suites?” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO

“The Gaza war has revealed important insights into the nefarious relationship between Hamas and the Al-Jazeera news network. The Qatari-funded media outfit serves as an important news outlet for Hamas and other Palestinian terrorist organizations, shaping anti-Israel perceptions in the Arab world. Moreover, a noticeable pattern has developed, demonstrating that some Al-Jazeera employees in the Gaza Strip have played a secondary role as terrorists belonging to armed groups.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Al-Jazeera claims to be a traditional news-gathering organization that values truth. But the network has demonstrated time and again that it is a foreign propaganda organ that benefits Hamas and other terrorist groups. For further evidence, recall that Palestinian Islamic Jihad published a propaganda video in May during which Israeli hostage Alexander Trufanov urged Israel to bring Al-Jazeera back on air.” — Natalie Ecanow, FDD Research Analyst

Israel Bans Al-Jazeera

On April 1, the Israeli Knesset passed a wartime emergency law that enables the 45-day closure of foreign media outlets deemed to be endangering national security and allows renewing such closures after the term expires. On May 5, Israeli police raided and shut down Al-Jazeera’s Jerusalem bureau, instituting a 35 day ban on the channel. On June 8, the Israeli government extended the ban for an additional 45 days, citing Al-Jazeera’s continued threat to Israeli security and incitement against Israeli soldiers.

Al-Jazeera’s Terrorist Employees

Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s office said in October that it had “proof” Al-Jazeera reporters were “passing sensitive information to the enemy” about IDF troop locations. On January 7, Al-Jazeera journalist Hamza al-Dahdouh and cameraman Mustafa Thuraya were killed in a targeted IDF strike as they were traveling from Khan Younis to Rafah. The IDF later revealed that al-Dahdouh — the son of the network’s Gaza bureau chief — was an operative in the “Electronic Engineering Unit” and a regional official in the “Rocket Unit” of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. The IDF also revealed that Thuraya’s name appeared on a list of operatives fighting for Hamas’s Al-Qadisiya Battalion.

The two were operating a drone threatening Israeli troops at the time of the strike. In February, the IDF revealed that Al-Jazeera correspondents Muhammed Wishah and Ismail Abu Omar served as Hamas military commanders. Abu Omar filmed himself participating in the October 7 attacks.

“The Growing List of Al Jazeera Terrorists,” by Jonathan Schanzer

“Citing Threat to State Security, Israel Extends Ban on Qatar-Owned Al Jazeera for 45 Days,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel Shutters Al Jazeera Bureau,” FDD Flash Brief

“Qatar-Owned Al-Jazeera to Close Israel Bureau Pending Israeli Cabinet Vote,” FDD Flash Brief

“Al Jazeera should report, not inflame, the Gaza war,” by Hussain Abdul-Hussain