Israel claims 12 Gaza football figures it killed were militants 

JERUSALEM — Israel said on Wednesday several Palestinian soccer players, coaches and a referee who were among internationally reported civilian casualties during its war on Gaza were operatives in the military wings of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued the statement in response to reports that alleged the Israeli military deliberately targeted Palestinian soccer players during the conflict.The IDF rejected those allegations, saying the individuals in question were targeted because of their involvement in terrorist organizations rather than their sporting roles.Israeli intelligence assessments identified 12 members of Gaza’s soccer community—including players, coaches, and a FIFA international assistant referee—as members of Hamas or PIJ who were killed during Israeli military operations, the IDF said.A Palestinian Football Association official in Gaza rejected the Israeli claims.“Israel is trying to cover up its crimes of killing players, coaches, referees, and administrators in football clubs with false accusations,” an official said, requesting anonymity for security reasons.“Most of the names mentioned in the statement were killed in Israeli bombings and raids in their homes or tents, some with their families.”The IDF said it was releasing the names to counter what it described as “false claims” that Israel had deliberately targeted members of Gaza’s football community.According to the military, several of those named held command positions within the armed groups, while others served as combat operatives.Among those identified was Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab, who the military said was a FIFA international assistant referee.“Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab was presented as an innocent soccer player, but in reality was a terrorist in Islamic Jihad’s Central Camps Brigade,” the IDF said.It released three photographs of Khattab. One showed him wearing a football jersey bearing logos of FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation, another him in a black shirt and a matching cap and in a third he is holding a gun.The IDF also noted that football organizations, including the Asian Football Confederation, had issued tributes following his death.At least two of the 12 identified men had participated in the October 7 attacks on Israel, the military said.“Some of the information is based on open-source materials. All of the individuals listed have been identified by the IDF as terrorists affiliated with terrorist organizations,” a source quoted in the statement said.Throughout the war, Palestinian football authorities have accused Israel of killing football players and damaging Gaza’s sporting infrastructure.Israel has consistently maintained that it targets militants and military infrastructure while accusing Hamas and other armed groups of operating within civilian areas.