News - Middle East: A secretive unit within the Israeli military, dubbed the "Legitimization Cell," has been operating to gather intelligence from Gaza to spread Israeli narratives in international media.

Three intelligence sources confirmed its existence to +972 Magazine and Local Call, stating that the unit was established after the events of October 7, 2023, to counter negative media portrayals of Israel.

The primary focus of the Legitimization Cell has been to accuse Hamas of using civilian structures, such as schools and hospitals. 

The unit has also been tasked with identifying Gaza-based journalists who could be portrayed as covert operatives for Hamas, a strategy seemingly aimed at mitigating the international outrage following the killing of journalists in the war, including Al Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif, who lost his life in an Israeli airstrike last week.

According to sources, the Legitimization Cell’s operations are driven by public relations objectives rather than genuine security concerns.

Members of the unit reportedly expressed frustration over what they perceived as Gaza-based journalists damaging Israel's image on the world stage.

“Whenever criticism of Israel intensified, the Legitimization Cell was directed to find intelligence to counter that narrative,” stated one source.

In practice, this meant that when global media raised alarms about Israel's genocidal actions resulting in the deaths of journalists, there was an immediate push for intelligence that could paint a journalist as compromised.

“The idea was to justify the targeting of individuals by suggesting they were affiliated with Hamas,” the source added.

For example, the Legitimization Cell allegedly misrepresented intelligence in one instance to portray a journalist as a member of Hamas's military wing, leading to a pre-emptive justification for violence against him.

The unit reportedly communicated with American officials, sharing intelligence that could support Israel’s genocidal operations.

“The information collected was regularly conveyed to the US to help prolong the war by justifying military actions,” another source revealed, adding that the goal was to find intelligence that would enhance Israel's international legitimacy, thereby maintaining critical military support from allies.

The Legitimization Cell gained notoriety following the events surrounding the Al-Ahli Hospital explosion in October 2023, where Israeli officials claimed it was caused by a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket, contrary to reports of an Israeli airstrike.

The unit was responsible for releasing recordings that allegedly showed Hamas fighters attributing the incident to a misfire. However, subsequent investigations revealed that one of the individuals in the recording was a Palestinian activist who claimed his remarks were distorted.

This tactic extended to the army's portrayal of journalists, elevating concerns about the risks faced by media professionals in war zones.

The Committee to Protect Journalists had previously warned of threats against Al-Sharif, singling him out as being targeted by Israeli intelligence.

On August 10, 2024, Al-Sharif was killed, along with other journalists, during a strike by the Israeli military.

The Israeli military blatantly and shamelessly claimed the attack was aimed at a Hamas fighter posing as a journalist.

In a posthumous statement, Al-Sharif underscored his commitment to reporting the truth and expressed the devastating impact of such actions on freedom of the press.

This unit’s methods represent a broader trend within Israeli military strategy, blurring the lines between warfare and the media landscape.

As Israel continues its genocidal war in Gaza, the role of the Legitimization Cell raises significant ethical questions about the treatment of journalists and the implications of wartime propaganda strategies.

Israel has killed 61,499 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 153,575 others since, according to the health ministry of Gaza.

The August 10 attack brought to 238 the total number of journalists killed by Israel in Gaza since the beginning of the genocide, according to the Gaza Government Media Office.

Israel has a record of killing journalists in its wars.

In its June aggression against Iran, the regime targeted the IRIB news department building in violation of international humanitarian law.

Israel unleashed its brutal campaign in Gaza on October 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out its historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for the regime’s intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

The Tel Aviv regime has so far failed to achieve its declared objectives of eliminating Hamas and freeing all captives in Gaza.

Source: Press TV