Islamic State video shows Palestinian accused of being ‘Israeli spy’ killed
The Islamic State (IS) has released a video that purports to show the killing of a Palestinian man accused of being a spy for Israeli intelligence.
In the 13-minute video posted online, a militant and a boy dressed in camouflage stand behind a man in an orange jumpsuit kneeling on the ground.
The fighter makes a brief statement in French accusing the man of working for the Mossad before the boy steps forward and shoots the captive, identified as Mohamed Said Ismail Musalam, in the head.
The Associated Press could not independently verify the video, but it was released by the IS group’s Furqan media arm and corresponds to previous IS videos.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry declined to comment. Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency said that it announced earlier this year that Musalam had left for Turkey to fight with IS.
The Islamic State group last month published a purported interview with Musalam in the militants’ online magazine. The man in the magazine’s photos looks like the man killed in the video.
Musalam’s father, Said, said shortly after the video’s release that he had not seen it yet. But he said his 19-year-old son left for Syria four months ago without telling his family.
Musalam later told his brother that he was going to fight with IS. He eventually contacted the family online from the extremists’ de facto capital of Raqqa in northern Syria and said he wanted to return home, his father said.
“I saw him with a long beard and long hair and a Kalashnikov,” his father said. “He told me, ‘Look dad, I am fed up here, it is a country of war, and I want to come back.'”
More than a month ago, the family received a call from an unidentified person who said Musalam had fled IS, was caught at a Turkish checkpoint, and was put in IS jail.
“They did not want to let him leave because if he comes back, he might be caught by the Israelis and tell them what he had seen. So they wanted to get rid of him,” the father said. “I know my son. I raised him well. I am sure he’s not working for the Mossad.”
[polldaddy poll=8720985]
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
