The Israeli military officially verified on Thursday the death of Ismail al-Ghoul, an Al-Jazeera journalist, in a Gaza airstrike, alleging his involvement as a Hamas agent in an attack against Israel on October 7th. Al-Jazeera refuted these “unfounded assertions”, suggesting they were attempts to legitimize wilful murder of their journalists. The network stated no tangible evidence was provided to support these allegations against Ismail al-Ghoul and declared the right to pursue legal recourse against the implicated parties.
Al-Jazeera confirmed that both Al-Ghoul and cameraman Ramy al-Rifi were assassinated in an Israeli assault on Gaza City while filming close to the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, former Hamas leader, who was also killed in Iran that day.
The Israeli military identified al-Ghoul as a member of the prestigious Nukhba unit, who played a significant role in the October 7th attack, teaching Hamas members to document operations. He was also accused of recording and promoting attacks on Israeli soldiers. The Israeli forces emphasized the importance of his role in Hamas’s military efforts.
Al-Jazeera refuted these claims, stating that Al-Ghoul had been employed by the network since November 2023, and his only occupation was journalism. The broadcaster referred to his arrest and detention at the Al-Shifa Hospital in the northern part of Gaza, which was subsequently captured by Israeli forces in March. His subsequent release, according to Al-Jazeera, debunks the Israeli claim of his association with any other organisation.
The Israeli administration has outlawed Al-Jazeera operations within its borders, alleging threats to national security. On the other hand, Al-Jazeera, continually critical of Israel’s Gaza campaign, staunchly denies inciting violence.
The media office of the Gaza government, under Hamas’s administration, reported that the demise of the two Al-Jazeera staff now lifts the count of Palestinian journalists, casualties of Israeli aggression since October 7th, to 165.