Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) officially announced Monday evening the discovery of a deceased hostage. The Qatari Al-Jazeera channel reported the deceased Israeli hostage was located in rubble in northern Nuseirat in the Gaza Strip. According to the report, the deceased hostage was held by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to assessments within the security establishment, the discovery involves remains rather than a complete body, but official confirmation has not yet been received.

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"Brother Tawfiq Abu Naim was a great fighter in the prisons of (Israel) for a lengthy period," Nazal responded to the host's query, "following his release and return to the Gaza Strip, he was appointed to formal positions (in Hamas) and demonstrated substantial capabilities in them. I believe that this report is an intelligence report intended to try and test the waters, and to attempt to glean any information about Brother Tawfiq Abu Naim. This is because since October 7, 2023, brother Tawfiq Abu Naim has not appeared publicly at all and (Israel) possesses no information about him, save for contradictory intelligence. They therefore wish, sometimes through specific news items, to test the waters."

Video: Hamas speaking on Israel Hayom / Social media

The senior Hamas official operating abroad, speaking from his location in Turkey, asserted that the article's objective was apparently to gather reactions to the report: "Personally, I do not know where Brother Tawfiq Abu Naim is, where he is currently, or what his status and condition is. This is because from the start of the war until now, I have received no information concerning him. The final point I wish to make is that the Hamas movement, when selecting its leadership – it chooses them through an election process, even within the Gaza Strip."

He added, "The posts are filled according to internal mechanisms, and during the war all posts were filled. Mohammed Sinwar died and was succeeded by Brother Ez A-Din Al-Hadad as commander of the Ez A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing; S.K.). The posts are filled via mechanisms that are recognized internally. Consequently, if the Hamas movement seeks to fill specific posts or elect a particular leader, then it will elect him through the election mechanisms. This is my comment concerning the report on Tawfiq Abu Naim."

The article examined the background of Abu Naim – a confidant of Yahya Sinwar who was imprisoned with him for two decades. After two years of war and the elimination of many of his partners, Abu Naim is well-positioned to become the new leader of the terrorist organization in Gaza. With his experience in senior roles within the Hamas government and his connections to Egyptian intelligence, he may, apparently, integrate into the post-war agenda. The man who was previously the head of the internal security mechanisms in Gaza, responsible for neutralizing any intelligence breach, is one of the last senior officials who has survived.

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Officials in Qatar reacted with shock and a sense of betrayal, and the strike seems likely to destroy Qatar's position as a mediator in the war – eliminating the most reliable conduit for passing messages to Hamas leaders in Gaza, according to The Washington Post. Qatari sources informed the outlet that Israel and the US had promised them last month that Hamas officials would not be targeted on their territory. This assurance proved worthless. Qatar now holds the distinction of having been attacked by both Israel and Iran during the convulsive regional conflict that began on October 7, 2023, with Hamas's terrorist attack on Israel.

Qatar had feared an attack after Eyal Zamir, the Israel Defense Forces' chief of staff, warned on August 31 that "most of the remaining Hamas' leadership is abroad, and we will reach them as well." A report in The Washington Post indicates Qatar sought assurances from the Israeli intelligence agency, Mossad, and the White House that such an attack would not occur on Qatari soil. The pledges were given, and a Qatari official told the outlet that Tuesday's strike "came as a total surprise."

The Israeli strike targeting Hamas's political leadership in Qatar's capital, aimed at forcing an end to the Gaza war, appears to be a rare Israeli tactical error, according to an analysis in The Washington Post offered by David Ignatius. The assault, whose result is unclear, ruptured one of the few existing channels for halting the conflict.

The paradoxical timing of Tuesday's assault highlighted the no-exit dilemma of the Gaza war, The Washington Post reported. At the moment Israeli rockets struck, Hamas officials were gathered in a Doha villa to discuss a "final offer" peace plan from President Donald Trump, which had been presented to them on Monday by a senior Qatari official. A warning call from the White House reportedly came amid the sound of the explosions, a Qatari spokesman stated.

Israel's high-risk operation signaled that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making an all-out blitz to force Hamas to surrender in the Gaza war, the columnist said. Netanyahu now appears so determined, and arguably desperate, to destroy Hamas that he is busting previous norms and restraints, he continued.

On Sunday, President Trump had warned that events in Gaza were coming to a head. He posted on social media that he had proposed a final deal that would include the release of all hostages and the exchange of all Palestinian prisoners. "The Israelis have accepted my Terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well," he wrote on Truth Social. "I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning, there will not be another one!"

An Israeli official detailed Trump's proposal. On day one, Hamas would release all 48 hostages – 20 alive and 28 deceased. Israel would withdraw from all of Gaza and begin to release about 1,000 Palestinians. On day two, Trump would personally take charge of negotiations for a political transition and reconstruction in Gaza.

An Arab source described the chain of events. Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, had met with Hamas representatives on Monday to share a proposal that Trump envoy Steve Witkoff delivered last week in Paris. The Hamas representatives, perhaps including some who had just arrived from Turkey, decided to meet again on Tuesday to discuss the proposal. Israel, presumably knowing the group had gathered in Doha, chose to attack.

Hamas claimed the strike did not kill Khalil al-Hayya or other senior officials, though it did kill his son, three bodyguards, and a Qatari security officer. This is an uncommon miss for the Israeli Air Force, which has struck leaders of Hamas in Gaza, the Hezbollah terrorist militia in Lebanon, and Iran with stunning accuracy.

For Qatar, the attack is a bitter outcome after aggressive attempts to help the Trump administration broker peace deals, not just in Gaza but also in the conflicts between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Qataris have also helped free American hostages in Venezuela and Russia, according to Qatari and American officials. But for many Israelis, Qatar – for all its diplomatic finesse – remains an enemy that bankrolled Hamas and hosts Al Jazeera's sometimes inflammatory Arabic commentary.

For Netanyahu and Trump, the question is what's next. Both demand a Hamas surrender. But how will they negotiate it with the Qatari channel shattered and a parallel Egyptian path probably also obstructed? By undermining diplomatic options for ending the conflict, Israel has narrowed its path forward. Its only choice now might be military reoccupation of most of Gaza – something that Israeli officials say they badly want to avoid.

Netanyahu pushes onward toward his vision of total victory in Gaza. But with Tuesday's actions, he risked obliterating one of the few tracks toward a negotiated settlement of this devastating and exhausting conflict, according to the analysis from The Washington Post.

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Video: The slip-up by Hamas official / Credit: Social media

During his comments to the Qatari Al-Jazeera network, Suhail al-Hindi, a Hamas bureau member in Gaza who departed the Strip before the war, stated, "A group of martyrs were killed, chief among them Jihad Labad, who is the director of the office of the Hamas leader of Gaza. In addition to Hamam al-Hayya, and , the son of the martyred commander, he is the son of the dear brother Khalil al-Hayya, in addition to a group of companions, and contact was lost with them, as we said. And they are Khalil al-Ha... uh... Hamam Khalil al-Hayya, Abdullah Abd al-Wahd, Mu'man Hassuna, Ahmad Abd." It is clear if this was a slip of the tongue or confusion from al-Hindi, who appeared stressed during the interview.

Qatari officials allege that the US and Israel assured them just last month that senior Hamas officials would not be harmed on Qatari soil. This was reported on Wednesday morning by senior Washington Post columnist David Ignatius.

The name selected for the operation is "Summit of Fire." Israel is monitoring the strike's outcome, and regardless, the attack in Doha itself holds significance, as senior Hamas officials now realize they have no safe haven after believing they were immune in Qatar.

Consequently, according to a security official, Tuesday night's strike could, in any event, bring about a change and compel Hamas "toward a desire to end the war out of fear for their lives."

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SCOOP

Pro-Iranian Regime Jihadi Muslim Tied To NIAC @NIACouncil
FIRED From US State Department @StateDept's Office of Press and Public Diplomacy In The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Where He Was Pushing Pro-Iranian Regime Propaganda Under The Trump Administration

I… pic.twitter.com/0ZOAEbCSSO

— Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) August 20, 2025

Shahed Ghoreishi, who lost his post Monday, had suggested including the line, "We do not support forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza." The phrasing matched remarks by both President Donald Trump and envoy Steve Witkoff, who previously said Washington was not advancing an "eviction plan" for the territory. According to The Washington Post, department leaders ordered that the language be removed.

Anonymous officials told The Washington Post that Ghoreishi's firing underscored an uncompromising stance inside the department: public messaging must adhere closely to pro-Israel framing, even if alternative language is rooted in long-standing US positions.

Spokesman Tommy Pigott would not specify a reason for the dismissal. "We do not comment on leaked emails or allegations," he said, adding that the department has "zero tolerance" for leaks and expects staff to prioritize "the duly elected president's agenda." Ghoreishi told The Washington Post that he received no explanation for his termination but said it raised troubling implications regarding potential mass relocation of Palestinians, although Israel has denied any such measures and has shown that such plans are merely to prevent them from being harmed as Israel takes out Hamas terrorists.

"Despite a strong reputation and close working relationship with many of my colleagues, I was unable to survive these disputes," Ghoreishi said, stressing that the wording he advanced had been approved for use since Trump assumed office in January.

Tensions also surfaced after the killing of Al-Jazeera journalist Anas al-Sharif and others in Gaza City. Israel maintained al-Sharif was affiliated with Hamas, a claim denied by Al-Jazeera. No such assertion was made about the other victims. Ghoreishi recommended a condolence statement mourning the deaths of journalists, but leadership rejected the idea in an Aug. 10 email: "No response is needed. We can't be sending out condolences if we are unsure of this individual's actions," The Washington Post reported.

Central to the disputes was David Milstein, senior adviser to Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Officials familiar with the matter claimed to The Washington Post that Milstein often overreaches his role by intervening on behalf of Israel. Critics described him as eager to satisfy Israeli officials, while Pigott countered that he was a "valued advocate for the policies of the Trump Administration and for the American people."

According to the report, Milstein previously pushed for a Rubio-signed statement denouncing Ireland's move toward banning settlement-related trade. European and Middle East diplomats resisted, insisting on private diplomacy with Dublin, and ultimately blocked its release.

He later pressed for use of the terms "Judea and Samaria" instead of "West Bank," the Post reported. A memo he wrote lauded House Speaker Mike Johnson for visiting "Judea and Samaria." Ghoreishi intervened, revising the phrasing to the internationally recognized "West Bank" before its release.

This week, Ghoreishi was targeted by far-right commentator Laura Loomer, who accused him on social media of being a "Pro-Iranian Regime Jihadi Muslim Tied To NIAC." Ghoreishi confirmed he had interned with the National Iranian American Council in 2013.

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The complaint, filed in partnership with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, focuses on al-Sharif, the 28-year-old Al-Jazeera terrorist who eliminated August 10 alongside six others in a targeted strike near Al-Shifa Hospital. The IDF confirmed the operation was deliberate and maintained the casualties were operatives utilizing press vests as cover.

The anti-Israeli organization levels war crimes accusations against Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, Southern Command Commander Maj. Gen. Yaniv Asor, and IDF Arabic Spokesperson Col. Avichay Adraee. Additionally, the foundation seeks to expand existing arrest warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to encompass "crimes targeting journalists."

The Hind Rajab Foundation contends al-Sharif's elimination constituted part of a systematic campaign against Al-Jazeera personnel, asserting the organization "monitors" individuals on its target list to pursue them across multiple countries. The foundation has established precedent through previous similar complaints against IDF personnel in various nations.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights supplemented the filing with documentation concerning additional journalists eliminated, including Hussam Shabat, Ismail al-Ghoul, and Ahmed al-Louh. The organizations assert 220 journalists have perished since the conflict's inception.

Foundation chairman Dyab Abou Jahjah said, "The assassination of Anas Al-Sharif was so blunt, so arrogant, and so drenched in contempt for human life, truth, the legal order, and humanity itself, that it cannot and will not be allowed to pass into silence."

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Hamas-affiliated media in the Gaza Strip reported Sunday that Anas Jamal al-Sharif, a member of the Hamas terrorist organization who also worked as a correspondent for the Al Jazeera network, had been killed. , al-Sharif served as the head of a Hamas cell and was involved in planning rocket attacks. Another Gaza-based journalist, Mohammad Karika, was also reported killed in the strike.

The IDF said in a statement that "the military had previously uncovered intelligence and numerous documents found in the Gaza Strip confirming his military affiliation with the Hamas terrorist organization. The documents once again confirm his terrorist activity, which the Al Jazeera network tried to disavow."

كما قلنا منذ البداية ورفض البعض تصديقه: لا يجلس مجالس الارهابيين إلا الإرهابي. #أنس_الشريف لم يكن صحفيًا بل إرهابيًا حمساويًا pic.twitter.com/KG6DPrlyoW

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) August 11, 2025

Adraee wrote on his X account (formerly Twitter), alongside the photo of al-Sharif with Sinwar: "As we said from the start, and others refused to believe, only a terrorist sits with terrorists. Anas al-Sharif was not a journalist but a Hamas terrorist."

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Schneider, the brother of Shiri's mother Margit Silberman, who was murdered with her husband Yossi in Nir Oz, said upon filing the lawsuit that "the cruel murder of Shiri, Kfir, and Ariel by terrorists from Gaza is an inconceivable atrocity that has destroyed our family forever, and has caused pain to millions of good people around the world.

"The kidnapping and barbaric murder of toddlers is unimaginable; only pure evil can see a child as a threat or enemy. The punishment for murdering a baby in a civilized society is severe and rightfully so. All the more so when it involves kidnapping, torture, and murder. We can never erase from our minds their suffering and the torture they endured before their deaths at the hands of terrorists.

No person with a shred of humanity could. Though no legal action can stop the pain and trauma of losing our family members in this way, we are determined to achieve justice and bring those responsible for these abhorrent crimes to justice."

The lawsuit was filed in the federal court in Washington by attorney Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, president of the Shurat HaDin – Israel Law Center, and utilized research conducted by attorney Jordan Cope from the StandWithUs organization. It states that Al-Jazeera employed several Hamas and Islamic Jihad activists as journalists, some of whom were directly involved in the October 7 attack.

Additionally, the lawsuit highlights exclusive interviews conducted by Al-Jazeera with Hamas leaders, including those who carried out attacks against Israeli and American civilians. The lawsuit is also directed at Al-Jazeera's US subsidiary, claiming it played a direct role in supporting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

"Terrorist organizations need media outlets"

The lawsuit, based on US anti-terror laws, also claims that Al-Jazeera knowingly assisted and helped terrorist organizations spread propaganda, recruit activists, and incite violence.

"Terrorist organizations do not operate alone. They need financial support, logistical networks, and media outlets to advance their agenda. Al-Jazeera served as an agent of the terrorist organization Hamas," said attorney Darshan-Leitner.

"US law is clear: those who knowingly provide substantial assistance to terrorists are as guilty as those who carry out the attacks. We will not allow them to hide behind the facade of a news network while acting as a mouthpiece for terrorist organizations. They will pay the price."

Meanwhile, a senior security official confirms the central claim of the lawsuit and tells Israel Hayom that Al-Jazeera is a central tool for Hamas to magnify its power. "This Qatari network is a force multiplier for Hamas. Take, for example, the horrific ceremonies of hostage releases. They are broadcast on Al-Jazeera as mass events, while only one hundred to two hundred people participate. Hamas relies on these broadcasts to create the impression that it is in a much better state than it is in the real world."

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After the IDF released the names of six journalists from Al-Jazeera who were also operatives for Hamas and Islamic Jihad, Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF's Arabic spokesperson, revealed documents related to the issue.

Among the revelations, Lt. Col. Adraee disclosed documents indicating that Al-Jazeera was forbidden from criticizing Hamas, including hiding instances of failed rocket launches and establishing a secure communication line between Hamas and the Qatari channel.

Adraee added: "In a 2022 document, Hamas outlined how it provided Al-Jazeera with clear instructions for covering a failed rocket launch by Islamic Jihad in Jabalia, which resulted in the deaths of several civilians. The directives included not using the word 'massacre' to describe the event, minimizing the display of images from the scene, and preventing panel members from criticizing Hamas."

Another document from the same year reveals the guidance Hamas gave to journalist Tamer Almisshall while covering Islamic Jihad activities during Operation "Breaking Dawn" on his program "Much Remains Hidden". He was instructed to support the 'resistance' in Gaza and to avoid criticizing the rocket capabilities of the terror organization despite the high number of failed launches.

A 2023 document shows that Hamas decided to establish the "Al-Jazeera Phone"—a secure line that would allow the organization to communicate with the channel in a classified manner and during emergencies.

The documents demonstrate how Hamas manipulates the channel's media coverage to serve its own interests, preventing the public in Gaza and worldwide from discovering the truth about its crimes against the people of Gaza.

Qatar's Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, responded to the revelation that six journalists from the Qatari channel "Al-Jazeera" are operatives for Hamas and Islamic Jihad. He stated that Qatar is proud of the channel and its coverage of global conflicts: "Al-Jazeera operates according to the highest international standards. There is no justification for attacking journalists, and the excuses for it are unacceptable."

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