Al Jazeera Quietly Removes ‘Fabricated’ Story on Alleged IDF Rape in Gaza Hospital

The logo for Al Jazeera America is displayed outside the cable news channel's offices in New York City on Jan. 13, 2016. Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The Qatar-funded news outlet Al Jazeera reportedly removed a story accusing Israeli soldiers of raping women during a raid at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza after it was found to have been “fabricated.”

The now-deleted report included a “testimony” by Jamila Al-Hessi, a Gaza-based woman who claimed to have witnessed Israeli soldiers rape and murder women while she was under siege in the area of the hospital complex. A network of Hamas tunnels and command rooms was found under the hospital.

Al Jazeera has not yet issued a formal correction or retraction regarding the story. But it appears that the piece has been taken down from the news website over 24 hours after it was published, according to multiple reports.

Yasser Abuhilalah, a columnist and former managing editor at Al Jazeera, stated on X that the source has admitted to having “exaggerated” her claims that she witnessed Israeli soldiers rape women at the hospital.

“It was revealed through Hamas investigations that the story of the rape of women in [Al-Shifa] was fabricated. Of course, the enemy did not hesitate to commit the crime of genocide,” he stated on X on March 25.

“The woman who spoke about rape justified her exaggeration and incorrect talk by saying that the goal was to arouse the nation’s fervor and brotherhood,” Mr. Abuhilalah added.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz shared a screenshot of Mr. Abuhilalah’s post on his account and called out U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who has been pushing for a ceasefire amid the crisis in Gaza.

“Look surprised, the Palestinians fabricate stories of rape to incite anti Semitism. @antonioguterres I’m sure that’s sad for you to hear, but that’s the reality,” Mr. Katz stated on X.

Previously, Mr. Katz said that the United Nations has become an “antisemitic and anti-Israel body that shelters and emboldens terror” under the leadership of Mr. Guterres.

His remarks came as the UN chief visited Gaza’s border last week. Mr. Guterres stated on X on March 24 that “nothing justifies the collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”

Al Jazeera is a media network funded by the Qatari government. In an interview with The Epoch Times last October, Asher Fredman, director for Israel at the Abraham Accords Peace Institute think tank, said that Qatar is a “key supporter” of Hamas. The terror outfit’s offices and senior leadership are located in Qatar.

While Iran acts as Hamas’ main patron for military training and support, Qatar provides the infrastructure to spread anti-Israel propaganda, which is mainly done through Al Jazeera, he said.

“Through the Al Jazeera network, Qatar spreads narratives that demonize and delegitimize Israel, and justify terrorism, thereby supporting Hamas in its efforts,” he added.

Over the past decades, Qatar has shielded several key Hamas leaders. Ismail Haniyeh, the current top political leader of Hamas, leads a reportedly luxurious life in Qatar’s capital city of Doha. The government of Qatar has refused to arrest Hamas leaders or hold them responsible for crimes.

Human rights lawyer Irina Tsukerman told The Epoch Times that Qatar uses anti-Israel propaganda “through Al Jazeera and other media propaganda and with the help of social media campaigns from its proxies, who continue to spread disinformation about the deaths of civilians in Gaza while whitewashing the terrorism and massacres of Israelis and other victims of the Hamas attack.”

Naveen Athrappully contributed to this report.