The disclosures come as the Palestinian Football Association continues efforts to have Israel sanctioned by FIFA.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
The Israel Defense Forces said 12 Gazan soccer players, coaches and referees killed during the war also served as active operatives and commanders in Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, accusing the terrorist groups of concealing their military roles as part of a broader campaign to influence international opinion.
According to the IDF, the individuals held operational positions within Hamas and PIJ while presenting themselves publicly as members of Gaza’s soccer community. The military said the group included players, a coach and a referee, several of whom participated in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
The IDF identified Mohammed Barakat of PIJ, Hamas battalion commander Mohammed Mansour, and Hamas operative Mohammad Emad Ata Hussouna as participants in the Oct. 7 invasion. It also named Hamas company or platoon commander Mahmoud Kamal Mohammed Ali Al-Rifi, PIJ commanders Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Abu Al-Atta and Ali Mahmoud Ahmed Al-Kurd, PIJ members Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab and Abdullah Riyadh Abdullah Khattab, and Hamas operatives Tariq Ziad Hussein Al-Hour, Mohammed Ziad Hussein Al-Hour, Mahmoud Osama Al-Jazzar and Mohammad Nidal Mohammed Al-Hawajri.
The military highlighted the case of Mohammed Sami Mohammed Khattab, identifying him as both a PIJ member and an international FIFA assistant referee who officiated international matches, including the West Asian Football Championship.
Following his death, the Asian Football Confederation issued a statement of condolence, and a French lawmaker called for a minute of silence in his memory.
The IDF also cited Mohammed Barakat, saying media coverage following his death portrayed him solely as a soccer player.
It said Reuters, ESPN and Qatar’s Al Jazeera published reports describing him in that capacity before Islamic Jihad’s military wing identified him in June 2026 as one of its platoon commanders by publishing his name and photograph.
The disclosures come as the Palestinian Football Association continues efforts to have Israel sanctioned by FIFA.
According to the IDF, intelligence indicates the individuals presented themselves only as athletes, which the military said formed part of a broader effort to generate international sympathy while concealing their roles within Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
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