Hamas, Al Jazeera admit: Story of IDF rapes in Gaza hospital fabricated

• Published date: 25 March 2024
• Author: OHAD MERLIN
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

Though the Qatari mouthpiece hasn't yet officially referred to the retraction, all content related to the allegation has been reportedly deleted

Al Jazeera columnist and former director Yasser Abuhilalah also tweeted, admitting that, "It was revealed through Hamas investigations that the story of the rape of women in Al-Shifa Hospital was fabricated… 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," adding critically that "As if more than thirty thousand martyrs, ninety thousand wounded, about a million displaced people, and comprehensive destruction were not enough!"

Jihad Khelles, a pro-Hamas preacher from Gaza, also tweeted that it became evident that there was no proven evidence for the events and that the 'witness' told a story that she had heard and not witnessed, also adding that "this creates panic and fear" and "makes [Palestinians] feel despair and frustration at a time when we are most in need for stability and reassurance."

The original story published by Al Jazeera featured a "testimony" by Jamila Al-Hessi, a Gazan woman who claimed that while she was under siege in the area of the hospital complex, she witnessed IDF soldiers "raping women then killing them and burning entire families alive."

The fake testimony went viral, with many expressing their rage at Israel and at what they deemed Arab failure to protect the honor of Palestinian women, even asking where Hamas and the resistance had gone.

However, Israeli news blogger Abu Ali Express also reported that the viral fake testimony also had unexpected reverse ripple effects, leading many Gazans to flee their homes in the northern Gaza strip southwards, which may explain the unusual event of a Hamas investigation into the details.

Al-Hessi was...