Israeli army paratroopers. (Credit: David Furst/AFP/Getty Images)
BEIRUT — Contradicting earlier statements, Israeli military officials admitted that members of a department within the army's Operations Directorate were responsible for the Telegram channel "72 Virgins – Uncensored," according to a report from Haaretz.
The Israeli news outlet published an exposé last month that prompted an internal investigation by the army, led by Maj. Gen. Oded Basyuk, head of the Operations Directorate since 2021.
The inquiry found that the army's initial claim that it had no connection to the channel was based on "inaccurate information" provided by members of the Influencing Department, the army said. The Israeli army's Influencing Department exists to wage psychological warfare against "the enemy" and foreign audiences.
"During the investigation, it was revealed that the unit, responsible for psychological warfare, launched the channel without official approval just two days after the war began, targeting an Israeli audience," according to Haaretz. An Israeli army spokesperson claimed that the Telegram channel was operated without authorization from the army that that "the incident has been dealt with."
In light of these findings, the "unit's wartime commander is set to conclude his military service," Haaretz reported without revealing the commander's name or providing further information.
The channel featured graphic content, including images of killed Hamas members, with incendiary captions like "Exterminating the roaches … exterminating the Hamas rats … Share this beauty."
The thousands of videos and images glorified violence against Palestinians, accompanied by derogatory remarks such as encouraging the channel's followers to share the content so that "everyone can see we're screwing them."
On Oct. 11, hundreds of Israelis, including members of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer team's violently racist fan club La Familia, stormed Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, following a rumor that Palestinian gunmen who had crossed into Israel on Oct. 7 were being treated there.
Haaretz describes the incident, saying La Familia members roamed the hospital, cursing at and spitting on healthcare workers there. Within an hour, a video of the riot was posted to the "72 Virgins" channel along with the text "My brothers, the heroesssss, La Familia fans, love you!!!!!!! What heroes, they came to screw the Arabs."
On Oct. 7, Hamas fighters in Gaza launched an all-out attack on Israeli territory from land and air, taking Israeli hostages in an attempt to exchange them for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons. The attack resulted in the death of more than 1,000 people in Israel.
Israel has responded by killing around 27,478 people in the besieged Gaza Strip.
On Oct. 24, a statement by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres caused a heated response from Israel. While addressing the UN Security Council, the UN chief said that while he condemned in the strongest terms the massacre committed by Palestinian gunmen on Oct. 7, he wished to remind the world that it did not take place in a vacuum.
He explained that 56 years of occupation must be included in the framework with which the tragedy that unfolded on that day is understood.