World
IDF claims 6 Al Jazeera journalists are members of terror groups, network responds to 'fabricated accusations'
JERUSALEM — Israel Defense Forces (IDF) allege that six reporters for the Al Jazeera news organization are members of two terrorist organizations, Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad. The IDF said it uncovered the documents in Gaza.
On Thursday, the IDF released a dossier outlining the names, military ranks and identification numbers of the alleged terrorists. The Al Jazeera reporter Anas Jamal Mahmoud Al-Sharif, according to the IDF, is part of Hamas’ Northern Brigade and has served as “true team commander” and “a soldier of the third rank.”
The IDF’s information contains financial information about the alleged terrorist and claimed Al-Sharif was a “fighter and cell leader in a rocket company,” and “a fighter” in Hamas’ special forces Nukhba company.
A statement released by Al Jazeera Media Network on Wednesday called the allegations “unfounded,” saying it “views these fabricated accusations as a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region, thereby obscuring the harsh realities of the war from audiences worldwide.”
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Pictures of the alleged Hamas terrorists wearing protective vests labeled press for reporting in conflict zones were on display in the IDF dossier. Al Jazeera is headquartered in Qatar.
Following the Hamas massacre in Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, where some 1,200 Israelis and other foreign nationals were murdered, as well as the taking of 241 hostages by Hamas terrorists, Israel invaded Gaza to bring back the hostages and wipe out Hamas.
A man walks past shelter tents erected near collapsed buildings in the Bureij camp in the central Gaza Strip on Oct. 1, 2024. (Eyad Baba/AFP via Getty Images)
The Jerusalem bureau chief of the now-closed Al Jazeera office, Walid Omary, flatly denied the IDF allegations about the Al Jazeera reporters to Fox News Digital.
“These are baseless allegations from the Israeli forces. While Al Jazeera confirms that the below-mentioned journalists are employed by the network, we categorically reject these allegations and the portrayal of our journalists as terrorists. They are simply performing their professional duties, documenting, and reporting on the horrendous realities of the war and its impact on the 2 million civilians. The current accusations follow Al Jazeera’s exposé of potential war crimes committed by the Israeli forces during war on Gaza.”
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Al Jazeera bureau chief Walid Omari speaks during a press conference on the targeting of Palestinian journalists, in London on May 27, 2022. (Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Omary added, “Over the last two years, they have targeted and killed several Al Jazeera journalists in both the West Bank and Gaza. This includes Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian-American journalist in 2022, as well as Samer Abu Daqqa, Hamza Al Dahdouh, and Ismail Al Ghoul over the past year, some of whom were accused based on unfounded allegations or fabricated evidence. Al Jazeera has brought these cases before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague seeking justice for its employees.
“Furthermore, the Israeli forces have targeted and killed over 100 journalists and media workers over the past year as documented by internationally renowned press freedom organizations. The Israeli forces continue to demonstrate open hostility toward Al Jazeera because of the network’s commitment to broadcasting the unfolding realities in Gaza and elsewhere.”
The other reporters listed in the IDF dossier include Ismail Farid Muhammad Abu Omar, who was alleged to be a Hamas operative in the Khan Yunis Brigade since 2021. He held the positions of “Team Commander”, “Platoon commander in the training unit” and “Exercise Commander,” said the IDF. He enlisted in Hamas in 2005, noted the IDF.
The Jerusalem office of Al Jazeera on July 29, 2017. (Mahmoud Ibrahem/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
Other Hamas members, according to the IDF, are Hossam Basel Abdul Karim Shabat, part of the Beit Hanoun Battalion and a “sniper operative in an anti-tank company,” and Talal Mahmoud Abdul Rahman Aruki, who is alleged to have enlisted in Hamas in 2008, according to the IDF.
Aruki released a statement on Instagram refuting the IDF allegations, saying he was studying at university when the IDF accused him of joining Hamas. He stated, “An incitement campaign against me and a group of Al Jazeera journalists by the Israeli army. This news is nothing but incitement allegations by the Israeli army.”
The IDF also alleged that two other journalists are part of Palestinian Islamic Jihad: Alaa Abdul Aziz Muhammad Salama, who they claim is a “deputy commander of combat propaganda,” and Ashraf Sami Ashour Saraj, an infantry soldier.
The United States government has classified both Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad as foreign terrorist organizations.
The Committee to Protect Journalists released a statement on X stating, “The Committee to Protect Journalists is aware of accusations made by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) against several journalists in Gaza accusing them of being members of militant groups. Israel has repeatedly made similar unproven claims without producing credible evidence.”
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Four Americans were reportedly caught in a fiery multi-vehicle crash in Mexico that left at least 10 people dead and about 10 others injured.
The massive pileup happened Sunday after a tractor-trailer crashed into multiple vehicles on a highway in the western state of Jalisco, according to the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit.
While the agency reported 10 deaths, Mexico’s Army, Air Force and National Guard said nine people were killed.
Jalisco Civil Protection told Reuters that four Americans suffered minor injuries and were transported to a local hospital.
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A vehicle was left charred and mangled following a massive multi-vehicle pileup in Jalisco, Mexico, on Sunday. (Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit)
“Four patients in minor condition, all U.S. citizens, were transferred to the Arboledas Hospital in Guadalajara by a private ambulance from the highway,” Jalisco Civil Protection said.
Reuters reported that two of those killed were minors.
Another two of the injured were identified as National Guard members who suffered serious injuries and were taken to a hospital in Guadalajara, according to Reuters.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show several vehicles engulfed in flames along the highway connecting Guadalajara and Tepic, sending multiple plumes of black smoke into the air.
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A firefighter works to douse the smoking engine of a destroyed vehicle after a devastating highway collision in Jalisco, Mexico, on Sunday. (Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit)
According to Mexican officials, the crash happened when a tractor-trailer apparently suffered a brake failure and slammed into a line of vehicles that had stopped because of an earlier accident.
“According to initial reports, a trailer reportedly suffered a failure in its braking system and ended up crashing into several vehicles that were stopped due to a prior incident,” Mexico’s Army, Air Force and National Guard said in a post on X.
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The initial accident reportedly involved a rear-end collision between two tractor-trailers. As emergency crews responded, a third tractor-trailer crashed into the scene, according to the Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit.
“As a result of this second impact, three private vehicles and two tractor-trailer trucks were completely destroyed by the fire,” the authorities said. “Additionally, two other private vehicles and an official Dodge Charger unit belonging to the National Guard sustained material damage. “
Mexican authorities inspect the incinerated frame of a tractor-trailer on a highway connecting Guadalajara and Tepic in Jalisco, Mexico, on Sunday. (Secretariat of Security and Citizen Protection of Nayarit)
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Firefighters later extinguished the blaze, officials said.
Local outlet El Financiero reported that the driver of the tractor-trailer was detained by the National Guard.
Reuters contributed to this report.
At least 27 people were killed and 63 injured, many critically, after a fire ripped through a popular pub in Bangkok. Authorities are investigating whether the pub, located near the iconic Chatuchak Weekend Market, had adequate escape routes.
Published On 13 Jul 2026
The Walt Disney Company’s live action “Moana” may be the No. 1 movie at the domestic box office, but it did not make a big splash in its first weekend in theaters.
The movie, which cost a reported $250 million to produce, earned just $43 million from ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Internationally, it earned $52 million from 50 markets, adding up to a $95 million global debut.
The studio bet big on “Moana,” one of its most popular franchises. The 2016 animated film is the most watched movie on Disney+. Its sequel, which was stitched together from a planned streaming series, made over $1 billion and scored a Thanksgiving record when it opened with $225 million in 2024. “Moana 2” was also released just 19 months ago.
This latest “Moana,” directed by Thomas Kail, brings Dwayne Johnson back as the demigod Maui and introduces Catherine Lagaʻaia as the adventuring Polynesian princess. Despite praise for Lagaʻaia, the film set sail on a wave of dismal reviews from critics for being essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original.
What audiences say about “Moana”
It’s currently sitting at a 34% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, the majority of whom were women (66%), were less negative: According to PostTrak, 63% said they would “definitely” recommend the film to their friends. Parent reactions were even stronger, with 78% saying they would recommend it to other parents. It also got a promising A- CinemaScore.
Disney’s live action remakes of beloved animated films, new and old, have had their share of successes and disappointments. Some have made over $1 billion, including “Lilo & Stitch,” “The Lion King” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Others have floundered, most notably last year’s “Snow White,” which made only $205 million worldwide. “Moana” opened more on par with “Snow White” ($42.2 million).
Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Rentrak, said “Moana’s” debut could also be a product of PG-rated oversaturation in the marketplace: Universal’s “Minions & Monsters” was in second place with $20.5 million and “Toy Story 5” was close behind in third place with $18.5 million.
“Families love going to the movies, but right now there are three of them,” Dergarabedian said. “That’s a lot of competition.”
PG-rated films outgrossed others in 2024 and 2025, so “Moana’s” performance may not be a case of “family movie fatigue,” he said, but simply shows there can be a ceiling. Families have to make a choice, and after four weekends, “Toy Story 5” is still going strong with a running global total of $879.1 million.
There also are signs that these movies might not sink or swim based on the opening weekend alone. Although “Minions & Monsters” opened below expectations over the Fourth of July holiday, it also had a modest 45% drop this weekend. Its running domestic total is currently sitting at $108.3 million.
Elsewhere at the box office, horror and history
The weekend’s other big new opener was definitely not PG: The R-rated horror “Evil Dead Burn,” a Warner Bros. release, opened in fourth place with $13.7 million. It’s a significant dip from the previous two films in the series, which both opened in the $25 million range.
Angel Studios’ George Washington movie “Young Washington” rounded out the top five films in its second weekend in theaters, with $6.4 million. Olivia Wilde’s chamber dramedy “The Invite” landed in sixth place in its first weekend in wide release, with $5.7 million from 1,610 theaters.
And though it has dropped out of the top 10 domestically, “Michael” has officially crossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, only the second film this year to do so after “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.” It’s also now the highest grossing musical biopic of all time, a title previously held by “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The total domestic box office for the year is currently sitting just under $5.2 billion, up about 10.7% from this point last year. While both May and June were very strong — both generating over $1 billion in North America — July, Dergarabedian said, has faced some headwinds with a string of underperformers, including “Supergirl.” Things will likely pick up next week with the arrival of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” followed by “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” the weekend after.
“They could power a stronger August than July at the box office, which would be very unusual,” Dergarabedian said.
Top 10 movies by domestic box office
With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
1. “Moana,” $43 million.
2. “Minions & Monsters,” $20.5 million.
3. “Toy Story 5,” $18.5 million.
4. “Evil Dead Burn,” $13.7 million.
5. “Young Washington,” $6.4 million.
6. “The Invite,” $5.7 million.
7. “Obsession,” $3.8 million.
8. “Supergirl,” $3.6 million.
9. “Disclosure Day,” $3.2 million.
10. “Backrooms,” $1.5 million.
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