Al Jazeera retracts IDF rape accusations, admits story fabricated by female ‘witness’

Roughly 24 hours after publishing a story alleging Israeli soldiers raped Palestinian women during the IDF’s ongoing operation in Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital, Qatar's Al Jazeera network deleted the original page and all other references to it.

Al Jazeera’s story was based on a woman identified as Jamila al-Hassi, who claimed on Sunday to have been trapped in Shifa Hospital for six days, and that Israeli soldiers there had “raped women, kidnapped women, executed women, and pulled dead bodies from under the rubble to unleash their dogs on them.”

“Is there anything worse than this? Is there anything more horrifying than hearing women call for help, and when we try to reach them to provide assistance, they shoot at us?” the report quoted al-Hissi as saying.

On Monday, the story and all references to it were scrubbed from Al Jazeera’s page, with its former CEO Yasser Abu Hilalah admitting that the story was “fabricated.”

“After investigations carried out by Hamas, it appears that the story of the rape of the women in the Shifa hospital is a fabrication. Of course, the enemy does not hesitate to commit genocide,” the Jordanian journalist wrote on 𝕏.

“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! As if more than thirty thousand martyrs, ninety thousand wounded, about a million displaced people, and comprehensive destruction were not enough,” he added.

IDF Arabic spokesman Lt.-Col. Avichai Adraee denied the accusations on Sunday: “There is no evidence for these allegations... She just claimed and claimed and lied. Let Al Jazeera and the mouthpieces of Hamas take this lie and spread it.”

After the story was pulled, Adraee called on “members of Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Al Jazeera: Fear God, at least in Ramadan.”

“Finally, Al Jazeera admitted the falsity of its story and its role in spreading completely untrue lies and rumors, all aimed at inflaming thoughts and escalating the situation,” he added.

The story alleging Israeli soldiers raping Palestinian women went viral on social media, with many users decrying the failure of the Arab people to protect their women’s honor.

The Israeli intelligence blog Abu Ali Express reported on another, unexpected effect caused by the story that may have led to the unusual Hamas investigation into the claim.

According to Abu Ali, the report had spread panic among the residents remaining in the northern Gaza Strip, where Shifa Hospital is located, causing many to flee south.

Hamas strongly opposed the evacuation of Gazan civilians from active combat zones, intending to use them as human shields in the fighting. 

Facilitating the return of Gazans to the northern part of the Strip is among its stated objectives in the ongoing hostage deal negotiations.