The Israeli military has explained the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Mohammed Wishah, alleging that he was a Hamas operative involved in weapons production and attacks.
In a post on X on Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Wishah, identified as Muhammad Samir Muhammad Washah, was eliminated and described him as a Hamas member posing as a journalist. The military claimed he played a key role in the group’s rocket and weapons production unit and was involved in the production and transfer of weapons within Gaza. It also alleged that he participated in planning attacks against Israeli troops and posed a direct threat to forces in the area.
Mohammed Wishah, a correspondent for Al Jazeera Mubasher in Gaza, was killed on Wednesday in an Israeli drone strike. The strike hit a car he was travelling in along al-Rashid Street, a major coastal road west of Gaza City, causing the vehicle to burst into flames, according to sources familiar with the incident.
ALSO READ: US orders embassy staff to leave Nigeria immediately, lists 23 states as ‘Do Not Travel’
His death has heightened concerns over the safety of journalists in Gaza since the escalation of Israel’s war on Palestinians in October 2023. Data from the Gaza Government Media Office indicates that at least 262 journalists have been killed in Israeli attacks since the conflict began.
Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the killing, describing it as a serious violation of international laws and norms and part of what it called a continued pattern of targeting journalists and suppressing the truth. The network said Wishah’s death was deliberate and intended to intimidate media workers and hinder their professional duties.
Al Jazeera’s Ibrahim al-Khalili, reporting from Gaza City, said the incident underscores worsening conditions on the ground despite a ceasefire arrangement, noting that violations have continued months after the US-brokered truce came into effect.