The Israeli Occupation continues its terrorist aggression against civilians in the Gaza Strip for the 97th day, targeting women and children and committing the most heinous crimes against humanity.

The Israeli Occupation has repeatedly attempted to justify the crimes by spreading false narratives about the targets its aircraft are bombing.

Terrorism accusation

Like others, journalists have not been exempt from the crimes of the Israeli Occupation.

Dozens have been killed since the beginning of the aggression.

The Israeli Occupation deliberately and premeditatedly killed Al Jazeera journalists, Hamza Al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya, last Sunday. Thuraya worked as a video correspondent collaborating with several international media outlets, including AFP.

Hamza Wael Hamdan Al-Dahdouh was a journalist and photographer, holding a BA in Journalism and Media from Al-Azhar University in Gaza. He was the son of renowned journalist Wael Al-Dahdouh.

When the two were assassinated, they were working for a news report for Al-Jazeera.

To cover up its crimes, the Israeli Occupation returned to using its old methods and worn-out tactics.

The Israeli Occupation army announced yesterday, Wednesday, that the journalists from Al Jazeera who were killed on Sunday in an airstrike targeting their car were "terrorist elements."

According to the enemy's claim, one of them belonged to Hamas, and the other to its ally, the Islamic Jihad movement. 

The Israeli Occupation army said in a statement, "Before the airstrike, the two were operating drones in a manner that posed a threat to our forces."

In response to a question from AFP about the type of drones the victims were using and the nature of the threat they posed to the forces operating in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Occupation army stated that it is "investigating" this point.

"Military intelligence confirmed that the two killed individuals are members of terrorist organizations based in Gaza and actively involved in attacks against Israeli forces." There has been no response from Al Jazeera or the families of the journalists to these accusations.

The Israeli Occupation army attached its statement with an image of a document it claimed was issued by the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, mentioning Hamza Al-Dahdouh as an "element in the field of electronic engineering."

As for Mustafa Thuraya, the statement said he is "a member of Hamas in the Gaza City brigade."

Al Jazeera journalists

Mustafa Thuraya was a 30-year-old freelance journalist who had been collaborating since 2019 with AFP and other international media outlets.

Hamza Al-Dahdouh is the son of Wael Al-Dahdouh, the bureau chief of Al Jazeera in Gaza. Wael Al-Dahdouh had previously lost his wife and two other children in an airstrike during this conflict at the end of October. Additionally, two nephews were also killed in an airstrike earlier this week.