ALBAWABA - Israeli intelligence mistook Egyptian sports writer Mohamed Shabana for a Hamas commander. A picture of Shabana was shared by the Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet), misidentifying it as Mohammed Shabana, a purported Hamas leader in Rafah. Social media platforms were filled with laughter and outrage over this mistake.
According to early allegations from Israeli media, Shin Bet attempted to kill Shabana, who is thought to be the commander of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military arm of Hamas, in Rafah, northern Gaza. However, the assassination attempt was unsuccessful. Later on, however, it was revealed that the person in the picture was really Mohamed Shabana, an Egyptian journalist and senator from Egypt.
The Israeli intelligence error was derided by many social media users, who called it a "scandal" and an indication of the agency's incapacity. Shabana's safety was also questioned in light of the possible dangers connected to this kind of misidentification.
Shabana, a senator from Egypt, took to Facebook to publish the misattributed images and mockingly denounced the "disturbed entity" in response to the confusion.
Israeli media sources said on Friday that Israeli soldiers carried out heavy airstrikes in Rafah, southern Gaza, after the misidentification event. Shortly after the International Court of Justice ordered a halt to the assault on the city, these airstrikes occurred. In retaliation, Israeli troops were severely contested by Palestinian resistance groups in both the northern and southern regions of the Gaza Strip.
