IDF Eliminates Hamas Terrorist Posed as Journalist After Oct. 7 Attack

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday, September 30, that they eliminated Muhammad Abd al-Aziz Muhammad Najjar, a terrorist belonging to Hamas's military wing, in southern Gaza. According to the IDF, Najjar participated in the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. Following his death, Najjar was presented as a journalist in Gaza, with his affiliation to Hamas's military wing omitted, the army stated. The IDF further reported that Najjar had recently been involved in planning attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians and was working to restore the terrorist organization's capabilities, thereby systematically violating the ceasefire agreement.

Reports of the "journalist's" death circulated in foreign media. Qatar's Al Jazeera identified Najjar as the 263rd Palestinian journalist killed since October 2023, citing data from the Hamas-controlled Gaza government's information office. This publication did not mention Najjar's terrorist affiliation or his involvement in the October 7 invasion. Turkey's state-run Anadolu Agency also identified Najjar as a journalist, referencing the same Gaza authority. Anadolu reported the authority's call for international journalistic organizations to condemn Israel and pursue legal action for the deaths of media workers.

The IDF stated that it took measures to minimize civilian risk before the strike, employing precision weaponry and aerial surveillance. The Southern Command forces remain in position, adhering to the ceasefire, and will continue to neutralize immediate threats, the army press service emphasized.