IDF Reveals Gaza Footballers Were Active Hamas and Islamic Jihad Militants

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed detailed intelligence on Wednesday exposing that several Palestinian football players, coaches, and even an international referee from Gaza, previously portrayed as innocent civilians, were in fact active militants and commanders in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad's military wings. This revelation comes amid international claims accusing the IDF of deliberately targeting Palestinian athletes during the ongoing conflict.

The IDF spokesman emphasized that these false narratives are part of a broader campaign to malign Israel globally by misrepresenting terrorists as civilians, including journalists and aid workers. The intelligence investigation identified numerous individuals involved in terrorism, including Mohammed Barkat, a football player who participated in the October 7 attacks inside Israel, and Mahmoud Kamal Muhammad Ali Al-Rifi, a footballer who served as a platoon commander in Hamas's aerial unit.

Other notable figures killed include Mohammed Mansour, a player and coach who was deputy commander of a Hamas battalion and also infiltrated Israel during the October 7 massacre, and Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khatab, a FIFA-recognized referee who was an active Islamic Jihad militant in central Gaza. The list also includes several other players and commanders who held military roles within Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The IDF stated it will continue exposing such cases to present the full facts and refute misleading claims that do not reflect reality. This disclosure aims to counter ongoing international misinformation campaigns that seek to portray Israel as targeting non-combatant sports figures deliberately.