The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday accused Muhammad Washah, a prominent journalist regularly reporting for Qatar-based Al Jazeera from Gaza, of working as a senior Hamas commander. The IDF’s Israeli Arabic spokesman, Lieutenant Avichay Adraee, made the claim on social media, stating that a laptop allegedly belonging to Washah was recovered in the northern Gaza Strip.

According to Adraee, the laptop contained pictures suggesting Washah’s involvement as a senior Hamas military operative. The images depict the journalist handling various weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenade devices and weaponized drones, similar to those used by Hamas fighters during the October 7 attacks.

The IDF’s intelligence analysis conducted on the seized laptop reportedly establishes a connection between Washah and his alleged Hamas activities. Addressing Al Jazeera directly on social media, the IDF stated, “Hey Al Jazeera, we thought you journalists were supposed to give unbiased reports on situations, not actively participate in creating them on the front lines as Hamas terrorists.”

Washah, a Gaza native, has been featured as a reporter on multiple Al Jazeera TV broadcasts in recent months, as well as in several online reports. The IDF claims that the journalist’s association with Hamas extends to his reporting from the scene of the IDF’s operation in the Nuseirat refugee camp, housing the Hamas Nuseirat battalion responsible for attacks on Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, according to IDF claims.

As of now, neither Al Jazeera nor the Qatari government has responded to the serious accusations leveled against Washah.