Slain Gaza reported was member of Hamas, Liberman says

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman says a Gaza journalist who was killed by IDF gunfire over the weekend was a member of Hamas.

Yasser Murtaja was shot Friday while covering a mass demonstration near the Israeli border. He was carrying a video camera and wearing a flak jacket marked with the word “press” when he was shot.

Lieberman tells reporters that Murtaja had been on the Hamas payroll since 2011 and held a rank similar to captain. He says Murtaja had used a drone to collect intelligence on Israeli forces along the border. He provides no evidence to support the claim.

Lieberman accuses Hamas, which rules Gaza, of using the media, as well as ambulances and medical patients, as cover to carry out attacks.

— AP