IDF Reveals Gaza Footballers Were Also Terror Operatives in Hamas and PIJ

Following international campaigns accusing Israel of targeting Palestinian footballers, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have disclosed that several individuals presented as athletes in Gaza were in fact militants affiliated with Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). These football players, coaches, and referees were members of the military wings of these terrorist organizations and were killed by the IDF during recent hostilities.

The IDF stated that intelligence investigations confirmed the organizational ties and roles of these individuals, despite their public portrayal solely as sports figures. This disclosure aims to counter false narratives that Israel deliberately targeted civilians based on their professions. The IDF highlighted that similar misinformation campaigns have depicted militants killed in the conflict as journalists, aid workers, or other civilians to falsely accuse Israel of attacking non-combatants.

Among those named by the IDF are Muhammad Barkat, a football player and PIJ militant who infiltrated Israel on October 7; Mahmoud Kamal Muhammad Ali Al-Rifi, a football player and Hamas air force platoon commander; and Muhammad Manzur, a player and coach who was deputy commander of a Hamas battalion. Other listed individuals include Ahmad Muhammad Hassan Abu Al-Ata, a PIJ platoon commander, and Muhammad Nidal Muhammad Al-Hawajri, a Hamas fighter commander.

The IDF emphasized its commitment to exposing such cases to present the full facts and refute misleading claims about its military operations. This revelation comes amid ongoing conflict in Gaza and efforts by various groups to shape international opinion regarding Israel's conduct during the war.