Israel Demands Belgian Apology Over Hamas Operative Killed in Gaza

Israel is demanding an official apology from Belgium after intelligence revealed that a Belgian aid worker killed in a 2024 Israeli airstrike in Rafah was an active member of Hamas. The worker, Abdallah Jamal Subhi Nabhan, was employed by the Belgian state agency Enabel, which focuses on international development.

Initially, following Nabhan's death in an Israeli airstrike, Belgian officials and ministers strongly condemned Israel, with the Belgian Foreign Minister summoning the Israeli ambassador for an explanation. However, a subsequent investigation by Israeli intelligence services uncovered evidence that Nabhan was not just a humanitarian worker but also an operative in Hamas's armed wing, specifically within the "Khan Yunis" brigade.

Following these revelations, Israel's embassy in Belgium sent a diplomatic note to the Belgian government requesting a public apology for the initial accusations. Israel also raised concerns about the financial implications, suggesting that European taxpayer money, channeled through agencies like Enabel, might have inadvertently funded Hamas's terror infrastructure. This situation raises questions about the vetting processes within international humanitarian organizations.

The article notes that this incident follows a previous report by "Cursor" about Muslims declaring an "anti-Ukrainian jihad" in Belgium.