The Israeli military disclosed the identities of Palestinian soccer players, referees and coaches who also served as active members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad's military wings. The Israel Defense Forces said these individuals were presented publicly as athletes but operated as militants inside the Gaza Strip.
Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Abu Al-Atta, a defender for multiple Gaza clubs including Ittihad Al-Shuja'iyya, Al-Tuffah and Al-Ahli Gaza, was identified as a member of Islamic Jihad. Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab, an international assistant referee for regional matches, belonged to Islamic Jihad's Central Camps Brigade.
Mohammed Barakat, a football player, was named as a member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad who infiltrated Israel on Oct. 7. Mahmoud Kamal Mohammed Ali Al-Rifi, another football player, served as a company commander in Hamas's aerial array.
The IDF said these individuals were killed by its forces during the ongoing conflict. The military said its disclosures counter narratives portraying these figures solely as civilian casualties.
The disclosures come as international scrutiny focuses on casualty figures in Gaza. The Israeli government has consistently argued that Hamas embeds its military infrastructure within civilian areas and uses its personnel to blend into the population.
Palestinian sports organizations have previously mourned athletes killed in the conflict, presenting them as non-combatants. The IDF's disclosures directly challenge that framing by providing specific military affiliations for the named individuals.
