Special Unit Responsible for Justifying the Crimes of the Zionist Regime’s Army
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency via Al Jazeera, Israel’s Military Intelligence Directorate (AMAN) established a unit following the al-Aqsa Flood operation carried out by Palestinian resistance on October 7, 2023. This intelligence-based unit is responsible for fabricating evidence and lies to legally and publicly justify what it describes as Israel’s genocide against Gaza.
This unit pays special attention to journalists, attempting to exploit any false pretext to justify targeting and killing them.
The “Legitimization” unit was created within AMAN after the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. On August 12, 2025, Israeli field journalist Yuval Abraham revealed its existence via a post on X (formerly Twitter). The core intelligence members are tasked with legitimizing operations targeting-and assassinating-civilians and journalists in Gaza.
This group intensified its activities amid growing international condemnation of Israeli army massacres against civilians in Gaza-especially women and children-as well as assaults on palestinian journalists.
Mandate of the Legitimization Unit
The Legitimization Unit was assigned to restore Israel’s military image amid mounting domestic political instability.It claims that army forces exclusively target resistance fighters.
the unit also works to justify killings committed by the army against Palestinian civilians in Gaza by fabricating information meant to legitimize Israel’s brutal crimes ther. They portray Israeli troops’ actions as compliant with international law.
Its goal extends beyond convincing local public opinion; it counters global criticism through spreading deceptive narratives designed to mislead public opinion worldwide while preventing legal accountability for Israeli leaders.
among its tasks are:
- Monitoring rocket launches from Palestinian resistance groups and falsely blaming their impact inside Gaza on accidents or alleging use of civilians as human shields;
- Justifying attacks on Palestinian journalists alongside other Israeli military violations;
- Identifying Gazan journalists accused of ties with Hamas or its military wing-the Izz ad-din al-Qassam Brigades-to rationalize assaults against them.
The Israeli army provides this unit with sensitive intelligence while urging other agencies to share any materials supporting these propaganda efforts.
An Example of Legitimization Efforts
The first task assigned came after the October 17, 2023 airstrike by Israeli warplanes on Al-Amdani Hospital in Gaza City killed more than 500 Palestinians-mostly women and children who had sought refuge there. Officials falsely claimed an Islamic Jihad rocket caused the explosion with far fewer casualties than reported.
The next day, the Israeli army released an audio file purportedly captured during electronic surveillance by this “Legitimization Unit.” The conversation allegedly involved two Hamas members blaming Islamic Jihad for accidentally firing that rocket.
Yuval Abraham believes members spend significant time tracking down journalists intended for linking them falsely with resistance groups as justification for their killings. Prominent among their targets was Anas al-Sharif-the late al-Jazeera correspondent killed while reporting from Gaza-whom they aggressively campaigned against using outspoken spokesperson Avichay Adraee at the forefront.
Aderaee issued statements claiming he found old documents linking al-Sharif to Hamas as 2013. Similar efforts were made regarding Hamza Wael al-Dahdouh-a journalist killed January 7, 2024 along with colleague Mustafa thuraya.
Abraham states this tactic has been used systematically against at least 238 journalists targeted since October 7,2023.
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This group also promotes similar false allegations that hospitals, schools attacked during Israel’s ongoing campaign are being used as bases for Palestinian resistance combatants-to justify brutal bombings during what many describe as ethnic cleansing across Gaza.
