The IDF said Thursday morning that it killed a Hamas operative in the Gaza Strip the previous day who had been operating under the cover of an Al Jazeera journalist and posed a threat to Israeli forces. According to the military, the operative was Muhammad Samir Muhammad Washah, described by the IDF spokesperson as a key figure in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters. The military added that he had been planning terrorist attacks against IDF forces operating in central Gaza.
In a statement, the IDF said that, throughout the war, Washah had been involved in the production of drones, rockets and other weapons, and in the transfer of arms within the Gaza Strip. The IDF spokesperson had previously revealed that Washah operated under the guise of an Al Jazeera journalist and exploited this identity to advance terrorist activity against IDF forces and the State of Israel.
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Muhammad Washah was a key figure in Hamas’ rocket and weapons production headquarters who posed as an Al Jazeera reporter
“The terrorist contributed to Hamas’ force build-up efforts, was actively involved in planning attacks against IDF troops, and posed a concrete threat to forces in the area,” the statement said. “Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions, aerial surveillance, and additional intelligence."
"IDF forces under Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to act to remove any immediate threat,” according to the IDF.
About two years ago, the IDF Arabic-language spokesperson, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, revealed that during activity at a Hamas base in northern Gaza, a laptop belonging to Al Jazeera correspondent Washah was found, containing images and intelligence materials linking him to Hamas. “A ‘journalist’ for Al Jazeera in the morning and a Hamas terrorist in the evening!” Adraee wrote at the time on X.
“Findings from the computer indicate that in addition to his role as a ‘journalist,’ Muhammad, born in 1986 from Al-Bureij, is a senior military operative in Hamas’ anti-tank missile array, and by the end of 2022 had moved to research and development of aerial weapons for the terrorist organization,” he added. He said that “analysis of the computer found several weeks ago includes images linking him to his activity in Hamas. It will be interesting to see what additional details about other ‘journalists’ we uncover in the near future.”
Al Jazeera, where Washah was employed, reported Thursday that he was killed when his car was struck by a drone while traveling on Al-Rashid Street near the coast, west of Gaza City. The network said that, according to its sources, the vehicle caught fire.
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his car was struck by a drone while traveling on Al-Rashid Street near the coast, west of Gaza City
(Photo: Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP)
In an official statement released Thursday morning, the network said it “strongly condemns the heinous crime of targeting and killing Al Jazeera correspondent Muhammad Washah.” It described the incident as “a blatant and new violation of all international laws and norms, reflecting an ongoing systematic policy of targeting journalists and silencing the voice of truth.”
While mourning its correspondent, who joined the network in 2018, Al Jazeera stressed that his killing “was not accidental, but a deliberate and targeted crime aimed at intimidating journalists and preventing them from carrying out their professional duties.”
First published: 15:51, 04.09.26