The Israeli army claimed, on Wednesday, that journalists Hamza al-Dahdouh belonged to “Islamic Jihad” and Mustafa Thuraya belonged to the “Hamas” movement, in order to justify the assassination of the two journalists who were killed last Sunday, in a bombing that targeted a vehicle in which they were traveling west of Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

This comes as the government media office in Gaza announced on Wednesday that the death toll of journalists in the Strip had risen to 115 since October 7, following the martyrdom of three journalists today, Wednesday, in Israeli bombing.

The army said in a statement, “The Palestinian media has circulated in recent days the news of the killing of two journalists named Hamza al-Dahdouh and Mustafa Thuraya as a result of a raid carried out earlier this week in Rafah,” claiming that “intelligence information is available to the Israeli army, proving that the two dead men belonged to terrorist organizations”  in the Gaza Strip.”

It said that they "participated in promoting terrorist operations targeting our forces."

It also stated, "Before the raid, the two activated drones in a way that posed a threat to our forces, which directed Air Force planes to target the two who were responsible for activating the drone."

It was claimed in the statement that "Mustafa Thuraya is considered a Hamas member in the Gaza City Brigade."

It said, "A document found by army forces on the ground in the Gaza Strip during the fighting indicates the organizational structure of all members of the Hamas-affiliated Al-Qadisiyah Brigade, where the name of Mustafa Thuraya is mentioned in addition to his position with the organization, which is deputy cell commander."

The statement added, "Hamza Wael Hamdan Al-Dahdouh is considered a member of the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, and is committing terrorist acts against the State of Israel."

The Israeli army said in its statement, “Al-Dahdouh’s name is included, according to documents found by army forces, during the fighting inside the Gaza Strip, on a list of individuals in the field of electronic engineering who are affiliated with Islamic Jihad.”

According to its claim, “the documents indicate that Al-Dahdouh previously held the position of deputy faction commander in the Islamic Jihad’s Zaytoun Brigade, and that he currently holds the position of a regional official in the movement’s missile unit.”