Israel labels Gaza Civil Defense spokesperson as Hamas terrorist

On Sunday, Israel accused Mahmoud Bassal, the spokesperson for Gaza’s Civil Defense  a Palestinian rescue organization  of being an active "terrorist" affiliated with the Islamist group Hamas, allegations which Bassal denied in an interview with AFP.

The Israeli military stated it had reviewed documents seized during operations in Gaza, claiming these documents identified Bassal as a Hamas operative. Copies of these purported membership lists were shared with media outlets, though the military did not clarify the context in which these undated papers were found.

Israel’s army also accused Bassal of spreading misinformation about Israeli operations in Gaza to support Hamas’s war agenda. Hamas has controlled Gaza since 2007 and is designated a terrorist organization by Israel, the United States, and the European Union.

Bassal refuted the claims, telling AFP that he is not affiliated with any military group and emphasized that the Civil Defense operates under international law.

The Civil Defense has existed for decades in Gaza, providing emergency aid and transporting victims of Israeli airstrikes to hospitals. This role is well-documented through numerous AFP photos and videos showing casualties, including women and children.

The organization is frequently cited by international media covering Gaza, where the conflict has now lasted over 20 months.

Due to media restrictions and limited access to Gaza amid escalating fighting, independent verification of death tolls and circumstances reported by the Civil Defense remains difficult.

The army’s accusations come amid counterclaims by the Civil Defense accusing Israeli forces of killing civilians near food distribution centers in recent days.

The conflict originated with Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which killed 1,218 Israelis, mostly civilians, according to AFP’s tally based on official sources.

In response, more than 54,772 Palestinians, mostly civilians, have died in Israel’s military retaliation, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry figures deemed reliable by the United Nations.