Abdallah Aljamal, a Gaza journalist who wrote for Al Jazeera, reportedly held three hostages in his home before being killed by Israeli commandos during a rescue operation on Saturday, according to the Israeli military.
Aljamal, also a spokesman for the Hamas-run labor ministry, was targeted in his central Gaza residence, where Israeli special forces successfully rescued hostages Almog Meir Jan, 21, Andri Kozlov, 27, and Shlomi Ziv, 41.
The first report of Aljamal’s death came from Rami Abdu, head of the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, who claimed that Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) raided Aljamal’s home, resulting in his death and the deaths of several family members. However, the IDF only confirmed that Aljamal was holding hostages and did not comment on the fate of his relatives, according to the New York Post.
“This is further proof that the Hamas terrorist organization uses the civilian population as a human shield,” the IDF stated.
Aljamal had contributed to Al Jazeera in 2019, although the Qatar-based outlet clarified he was never an employee. At the time of his death, he was writing for the Palestine Chronicle, focusing on the deaths of Palestinians in Gaza during Israel’s offensive.
The Palestine Chronicle confirmed Aljamal’s role as a contributor but did not mention his involvement in holding hostages. The non-profit, based in Washington State, asserts that its team consists of independent journalists without political affiliations.
Former hostages Almog Meir Jan, Noa Argamani, Andrey Kozlov, and Shlomi Ziv were rescued near a refugee camp in Nuseirat, where Israeli intelligence had located them. Noa Argamani, 26, had previously gained attention as a symbol of the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel.
Israel hailed the operation as a success, estimating “under 100” casualties. However, the Hamas-run ministry of health reported 274 casualties, including civilians. Both Israeli and American officials have criticized Hamas for using civilian areas for military purposes, contributing to high casualty rates.
“The Palestinian people are going through sheer hell in this conflict because Hamas is operating in a way that puts them in the crossfire that holds hostages right in the heart of crowded civilian areas,” said US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on CNN.
Since the war in Gaza began, over 36,000 people have been killed, according to the Hamas-run ministry of health, which does not distinguish between terrorists and civilians.
