Daijiworld Media Network – Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, Nov 6: In a shocking revelation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has declassified a cache of intelligence documents claiming that several Al Jazeera journalists operating in Gaza were directly associated with Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

The IDF stated that the evidence including personnel records, training lists, salary slips, and phone directories indicates that certain Al Jazeera staffers were not merely reporting from conflict zones but were allegedly participating in militant activities.

According to the IDF, several journalists served as dual operatives, using their press credentials to advance the propaganda objectives of Hamas and PIJ, shaping narratives to favor the militant factions while concealing their atrocities.

Among those named, Ismail Al-Ghoul has been identified as a Hamas Nukhba operative who allegedly took part in the October 7 attacks while working as a correspondent. Another journalist, Ismail Abu Omar, reportedly held the position of deputy company commander in Hamas’s Khan Yunis Battalion and even filmed himself inside Kibbutz Nir Oz during the massacre. Hossam Shabat, described as a Hamas sniper, is said to have used his media role to target Israeli forces and civilians.

The IDF also linked Hamza al-Dahdouh, son of a senior Al Jazeera correspondent, to the PIJ’s electronic engineering unit, and freelance videographer Mustafa Thuria to Hamas’s Gaza City Brigade. Both are accused of operating drones that posed an “imminent threat” to Israeli troops.

The allegations extend beyond individuals to an alleged systematic partnership between Hamas and Al Jazeera. Intelligence reports from 2022 and 2023 purportedly show that Hamas issued detailed coverage instructions to Al Jazeera journalists — including guidance on how to report a failed Islamic Jihad rocket launch that killed civilians in Jabaliya, instructing them to avoid critical framing. Another report describes the creation of a secure “Al Jazeera Phone” line for confidential communications between the network and Hamas leadership.

Al Jazeera, which has faced past accusations of biased reporting, was earlier criticized for circulating false information during India’s Operation Sindoor in May this year. Its Pakistan correspondent, Kamal Hyder, falsely claimed that Indian Air Force pilot Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh was captured by Pakistani forces after her jet was shot down — a report that was swiftly denied by Pakistan’s Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). Singh was later seen with President Droupadi Murmu at the Ambala Air Force base.

The fresh revelations have reignited global debate over the credibility of Al Jazeera’s reporting and the alleged misuse of journalism for terror propaganda. The network has yet to issue an official response to the IDF’s claims.