UN Watch Accuses UNESCO of Misidentifying Hamas and Islamic Jihad Members as Journalists Killed in Gaza

A recent report by UN Watch alleges that UNESCO issued condolence statements for seven individuals killed in Gaza, labeling them as journalists, despite later evidence identifying them as members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad militant groups. The report, released in Geneva, claims that UNESCO failed to correct these misclassifications even after Hamas and other sources acknowledged these individuals were combatants.

Hillel Neuer, CEO of UN Watch, accused UNESCO of becoming a "conduit for Hamas propaganda" and demanded a retraction of the statements, an independent investigation, and a review of the organization's verification procedures. Neuer emphasized that publicly honoring militants as journalists without correction undermines the credibility of the UN and disrespects genuine journalists risking their lives in conflict zones.

The seven individuals named by UNESCO included Mohammed Abu Armanah, Anas Al-Sharif, Mohammed Washah, Hamza Al-Dahdah, Mustafa Thriya, Mohammed Jraoun, and Mohammed Nasser Abu Hweidi. UN Watch contends that these people were later identified by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or the Israel Defense Forces as members or commanders of terrorist organizations.

UN Watch criticized UNESCO for violating its own verification methodology, which requires multiple sources and updates when new evidence emerges. The organization called for UNESCO to withdraw the erroneous publications, establish an independent inquiry committee, disclose the methodology used to classify journalists killed in Gaza, and hold those responsible accountable for the inaccurate statements.