Shin Bet accused of coercing Gaza targets into deadly strikes to spare families - report

Asharq Al-Awsat reported that Israel's Shin Bet has allegedly threatened Gaza targets by phone, giving them a choice between having their families bombed or being killed alone. The report cites Gazan Muhammad Al-Bayouk, who was allegedly killed by a drone after choosing to be targeted alone in Khan Younis. The IDF and Shin Bet have not commented.

The London-based Arabic-language news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat has reported that Israel's Shin Bet has allegedly adopted a practice of threatening Gaza targets by phone, giving them a choice between having their entire family bombed or being killed alone. The outlet interviewed several Gazans it describes as "Palestinian faction activists" and their families, who all reported similar experiences. The most recent case, according to the report, involved Muhammad Al-Bayouk, who was allegedly targeted by an IDF drone on Wednesday afternoon while on the roof of a displaced people shelter in Khan Younis after receiving a phone call from a Shin Bet officer giving him the choice. He reportedly chose to go up to the roof and was killed by a small projectile. A source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the targets were "activists who had a connection to military action," distinct from senior leaders who are killed in larger strikes. The IDF and Shin Bet have not been approached for comment. The Jerusalem Post notes that while similar operations have been carried out in the past, the specific incidents in the report could not be confirmed.