US EditionIsraeli Army Unit Instructed to Smear Journalists as ’Hamas’
The Israeli military's Legitimization Cell gathers intelligence to link Gaza journalists to Hamas, aiming to counter criticism and justify military actions, with 238 journalists killed since October 2023.
- On August 15, 2025, +972 Magazine and Local Call revealed the Legitimization Cell, a secret Israeli military unit that links Palestinian journalists to Hamas to justify killings.
- According to sources, its primary goal was public relations rather than security, established shortly after October 7, 2023, to bolster Israel’s international legitimacy and U.S. support.
- Following the Al-Ahli Hospital explosion, the Legitimization Cell released a recording allegedly featuring Hamas operatives blaming a misfired rocket, and sought intelligence to bolster hasbara efforts.
- Notably, the Gaza Government Media Office reported on August 10 that 238 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the start of the conflict, including Al Jazeera reporter Anas Al-Sharif, who was killed last week.
- Amid ongoing conflict, human rights advocates warn that Israel’s military conduct in Gaza raises ethical questions and sparks calls for independent investigations.
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Israeli Military’s “Legitimization Cell” Exposed: Secret Unit Tasked with Discrediting Gaza Journalists - teleSUR English
A joint investigation by Israeli outlets +972 Magazine and Local Call has revealed the existence of a secret Israeli military intelligence unit known as the “Legitimization Cell”, created to discredit Palestinian journalists in Gaza by falsely linking them to Hamas, thereby justifying their killings and minimizing international backlash. According to three intelligence sources cited in the report, the unit was established shortly after October 7…
The unit was created for the purpose of discrediting Palestinian journalists by linking them to Hamas to justify their assassinations by the occupying army and reduce international outrage.
An Israeli collective revealed that several journalists killed in Gaza were in reality active fighters, celebrated as such by Hamas after their death.
Israeli army unit instructed to smear journalists as ’Hamas’
The Israeli army created a special unit, known as the "legitimisation cell" in order to link journalists to Hamas in an effort to justify their killing, +972 Magazine reported on Thursday. An investigation carried out by +972 Magazine, which cited intelligence sources, said that the unit was formed in the aftermath of 7 October 2023 and was tasked with gathering information that could be used for Israeli propaganda. The report said that the unit…
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- 78% of the sources lean Left
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