Israel’s embassy in Belgium on Sunday demanded an apology from Brussels over its condemnation of an Israeli airstrike that killed Abdallah Nabhan, an employee of Belgian development agency Enabel, and his 7-year-old son in Gaza in April 2024.
Nabhan, 33, was killed when an Israeli bombardment hit a house in eastern Rafah where his family and displaced Palestinians were sheltering. At least seven people were killed in the strike, according to Enabel, which said Nabhan’s wife, father, brother and niece were also among those killed or wounded.
The Israeli embassy said newly surfaced material indicated that Nabhan was a Hamas fighter, citing a post by a channel affiliated with Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade that described him as a “mujahid” and showed him in uniform.
“Before rushing to condemn Israel, facts matter,” the embassy wrote on X, demanding a public or private apology from Belgium.
The Israeli Embassy is owed an apology!
In April 2024, Abdallah Nabhan, an employee of Belgium’s development agency Enabel, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. Belgium summoned Israel’s ambassador, and international condemnation followed.
New evidence now indicates that
Abdullah Jamal Sobhi Nabhan (ID#: 803187939, age 32), a Gazan employee of Belgian international development agency Enabel, appears to have been a member of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade. Nabhan was killed in an airstrike alongside his brother, father, and son in April 2024. 🧵
The claim has not been independently verified, and Belgium has not immediately responded.
The embassy’s demand follows a series of recent cases in which Gaza militant groups have identified people previously described as civilians or journalists as members of their forces.
Israel also faces criticism in Belgium after Leuven Mayor Mohamed Ridouani barred the city from hosting a UEFA Europa League match between Belgian club Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Israeli champions Hapoel Be’er Sheva, citing security concerns. The embassy argued that “politics should never be allowed to interfere with sports” and invited Ridouani to meet Israel’s incoming ambassador to Belgium
