Denial of Israel's Hamas claim comes from Turkey: "No evidence provided"
The Presidency's Directorate of Communications Center for Combating Disinformation has issued a statement regarding the claim that "the Israeli army captured many Hamas members in Khan Yunis," which was shared by Israeli propaganda accounts on social media.
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In a post shared on the Center for Combating Disinformation's social media account, it was stated that Israel could not provide any evidence that those detained were "Hamas members."
The statement reported that it was determined the detentions did not take place in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip as claimed, but in Beit Lahia, located north of Jabalia in the north.
The post, which stated that Israeli war correspondent Itay Blumental was identified as the source of the footage appearing in Israeli media, noted the following:
"It has been determined that Blumental shared the footage with the note, 'Many people who surrendered in the Gaza Strip were arrested by the IDF. Now, it will be checked whether any of these individuals are members of Hamas or Islamic Jihad.' It is also observed that the Israeli media circulated the footage with the headline, 'Palestinian men surrendered to the IDF in the Jabalia region.'
Following this information, which contradicts the claim, an investigation was conducted regarding the detained Palestinians and the location of the detention. Journalists in the region reported that the Israeli army arrested Palestinian civilians who had taken refuge in a school in the northern Gaza Strip and forcibly removed their clothes. Furthermore, it was determined that the 'Ulayyan Pharmacy,' whose sign is visible in the footage, is located opposite the Jabalia Refugee Camp and the Al-Foqa school."
The post stated that one of the individuals seen with his clothes removed and hands tied was identified as Al-Arabi reporter Diaa Al-Kahlout, and noted that the news organization confirmed Al-Kahlout was detained on Market Street in Beit Lahia along with his brothers and relatives.
The post also recorded that Ramy Abdu, Chairman of the Geneva-based Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, announced on December 7 that those detained were Palestinian civilians, including 15-year-old children and elderly people aged 60-65.