Al-Jazeera Analyst Appears to Call for the Killing of Anti-Hamas Protestors in Gaza
Al-Jazeera analyst Saeed Ziad calls for the killing of anti-Hamas protestors in Gaza, drawing comparisons to Hamas's violent takeover of Gaza in 2007 and the killing of its opposition
In a move widely condemned by peace activists, Al Jazeera political analyst Saeed Ziad posted on X yesterday calling for the killing of anti-Hamas protestors in Gaza. He compared the situation to 2007, when Hamas executed dozens of its political opponents in the streets to solidify control over Gaza. Critics argue that Ziad is just one example of Al-Jazeera journalists promoting propagandistic narratives aligned with Hamas and other terror groups.
Historical Context: The Violent Takeover of Gaza by Hamas in 2007
To understand Ziad's comments, it is important to revisit the violent history of Hamas's rise to power in Gaza. In 2005, Israel withdrew its forces from Gaza, leaving the Palestinian Authority in charge. In 2006, Hamas won a majority in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, which led to escalating tensions with the PA. The situation reached a breaking point in June 2007 when Hamas launched a bloody coup, taking control of Gaza through violent street battles and executions. Over the course of several days, Hamas executed dozens of Fatah and PA security personnel, and reports from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) estimate that more than 600 Palestinians were killed during the fighting.
Al-Jazeera’s Role in Amplifying Hamas's Message
Another prominent Al Jazeera figure, Tamer Almisshal, a producer and presenter for Al-Jazeera, has been implicated in orchestrating elaborate propaganda for Hamas. According to reports from Israel’s i24 News, Almisshal played a key role in producing videos documenting the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas, and staging elaborate ceremonies meant to showcase Hamas’s strength and legitimacy. These spectacles—which were overwhelmingly condemned by the international community and various Western governments—were designed to manipulate global perceptions of Hamas, presenting the group as a powerful and organized force, even as it engaged in violence and repression.
Documents discovered by the IDF in Gaza show that Hamas allegedly tasked Almisshal with supporting its narrative in 2022. These documents reveal that Almisshal was instructed by Hamas to provide favorable coverage of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a U.S.-designated terrorist group, as it engaged in battle with Israel.
Almisshal also allegedly produced a propaganda documentary on Hamas, featuring exclusive footage of the group’s leader, Yahya Sinwar. Almisshal’s relationship with key Hamas figures, such as Ezzedine Haddad, a senior commander in Hamas’s armed wing responsible for overseeing prisoner swaps, further deepens the ties between Al-Jazeera and Hamas. Additionally, Almisshal praised Hamas’s October 7 massacre and was involved in an Al-Jazeera report that positively promoted Hamas’s tunnel capabilities as far back as 2014.
