Israel says 12 Gaza football figures it killed were militants

The Israeli military accused 12 Palestinian football figures it killed during the war in Gaza, including a FIFA-registered referee, of being members of militant groups. A Palestinian Football Association official in Gaza rejected the allegations.

The military said it released the names to answer what it called false claims that Israel had deliberately targeted members of Gaza's football community. It said the players, referees and coaches had been presented as athletes and civilians, but had served in the military wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

According to the military, several of the men held command positions in the armed groups and others served as combat operatives. Among those named was Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab, whom the military described as a FIFA international assistant referee. The military alleged that Khattab was a member of Islamic Jihad's Central Camps Brigade.

The military released three photographs of Khattab. It said one showed him in a football jersey with FIFA and Asian Football Confederation logos, another showed him in a black shirt and cap, and a third showed him holding a gun. The military also noted that football organisations, including the Asian Football Confederation, had issued tributes after his death.

The military said at least two of the 12 men had taken part in the October 7 attacks on Israel. A source quoted in the military statement said some of the information was based on open-source material and that all the listed individuals had been identified by the Israeli military as affiliated with terrorist organisations.

The Palestinian Football Association official, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said Israel was using false accusations to cover up the killing of players, coaches, referees and club administrators. The official said most of the people named in the military statement were killed in Israeli bombings and raids in their homes or tents, some with their families.

AFP said it could not independently verify the military's accusations. Hamas and Islamic Jihad did not immediately comment.

Palestinian football authorities have accused Israel during the war of killing football players and damaging Gaza's sports infrastructure. Israel has said it targets militants and military infrastructure, and has accused Hamas and other armed groups of operating in civilian areas.