Israel Demands Belgian Apology Over Hamas Operative's Death

Israel's embassy in Belgium has demanded an apology from the Belgian government following revelations that a Belgian development agency employee killed in an Israeli strike in April 2024 was a member of Hamas. The employee, Abdallah Jamal Subhi Nabhan, worked for Enabel, Belgium's official international development cooperation agency. He was killed along with his son, father, brother, and niece in an airstrike on Rafah.

In September 2026, open-source intelligence researcher Gabriel Epstein published findings indicating Nabhan belonged to a Hamas battalion in Khan Younis. Epstein presented a mourning poster from a Hamas-affiliated channel, which identified Nabhan as a "mujahid" (fighter) and showed him in military uniform. This channel has previously published exclusive content on Hamas operatives, sometimes preceding official Hamas announcements. Epstein also found a 2025 social media post from a relative referring to Nabhan and his brother as "mujahideen."

Following the release of this information, the Israeli embassy stated on X that the new data confirmed Nabhan's affiliation with Hamas. The embassy reminded Belgium of its prior condemnation of the strike, which led to the Israeli ambassador being summoned to the Foreign Ministry. "Before rushing to condemn Israel, it is important to establish the facts. Those who accused Israel then must now acknowledge the presented evidence," the embassy declared.

Israeli Ambassador to Belgium David Saranga suggested that a public apology would be appropriate, though he indicated Israel would also accept a private one. The embassy's post garnered significant attention, sparking discussion in Belgian political circles. Nabhan had been employed by Enabel since April 2020, working on a project to support small businesses in Gaza. He had also appeared in agency materials related to the COP27 climate conference.

Enabel confirmed Nabhan and his family were on a list of employees intended for evacuation from Gaza. His death was widely reported by international media. At the time of the strike, Belgium's Minister of Development, Caroline Gennez, and Enabel's leadership condemned Israel's actions. The Belgian Foreign Minister summoned the Israeli ambassador, who expressed regret for civilian casualties and stated the target was the home of a senior Hamas member, a distant relative of Nabhan, not Nabhan himself. Israel later provided Belgium with names of Hamas operatives working at Enabel, but the agency reportedly took no action. Belgium's government has since changed following recent elections.