FDD
Meet the Gaza athletes unmasked as terrorists
Natalie Ecanow and Micah Jacobson
August 4, 2026

Abdullah Khattab emerged as one of Gaza’s rising soccer talents at a young age. But he was committed to more than just athletics. On July 22, the Israel Defense Forces published information indicating that 12 Gazan athletes killed during the Oct. 7 war were also members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The list includes Khattab — a tank commander whose affiliation with PIJ had already been acknowledged in June — as well as additional players, coaches, and even an international referee. The Israeli militia decided to spotlight Khattab and others in response to accusations from activist groups and the Palestinian Football Association during the 2026 FIFA World Cup season, claiming that Israel deliberately targeted Palestinian soccer players. Since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre in Israel, the Israeli military has exposed numerous terrorists killed during the ensuing war who held accepted day jobs. Some were Al Jazeera journalists. Others found work with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. The growing list of presumed civilian casualties exposed as terrorists now includes celebrated athletes, demonstrating just how deeply Hamas and PIJ have infiltrated civil society in Gaza. READ MORE

GATESTONE Pierre Rehov: What the Gaza Roadmap Actually Says Qatar most likely sees its sole mission in Gaza as making sure that Hamas remains armed and in power to further the agenda of the Muslim Brotherhood, of which, largely thanks to funding from Qatar, Hamas is the Palestinian branch.

ISRAEL HAYOM Hamas’ historic concession comes with major risks for Israel Hamas’ agreement to relinquish its defining symbols, armed struggle and civilian control of Gaza, represents a dramatic development. Yet the path toward implementing the understandings is riddled with problems, requiring Israel to sacrifice intelligence capabilities, withdraw forces and leave the remaining weapons in the hands of a weak technocratic committee.