Shin Bet accused of offering Gaza targets choice of death or family bombardment

Israel’s Shin Bet security service has allegedly contacted targets in Gaza to offer them a choice between being killed alone or having their entire families killed in a strike.

The practice was detailed in a report published by the London-based Arabic-language news outlet Asharq Al-Awsat on November 1, 2026.

According to the report, the most recent incident involved Muhammad Al-Bayouk, a man from Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday afternoon, Al-Bayouk received a phone call from a Shin Bet officer while located at a shelter for displaced people.

The officer allegedly told him he could either stay with his family and have the shelter bombed or go to the roof to be targeted by himself.

Al-Bayouk reportedly chose the latter option, moved to the roof, and was killed by a projectile from an Israeli Defense Forces drone.

Asharq Al-Awsat stated it interviewed several Gazans it described as Palestinian faction activists and their family members, all of whom reported similar experiences.

A source told the outlet that the individuals contacted in this manner were activists connected to military action, rather than senior field leaders.

The report noted that senior leaders are typically eliminated using missiles and suicide drones, a method that often results in civilian casualties.

The Shin Bet and the IDF did not respond to requests for comment regarding the specific allegations in the report.

The Israeli military frequently announces the killing of high-profile terror targets in Gaza based on intelligence provided by the Shin Bet.

Most recently, Israeli forces struck and killed Ihab Jamil Abu Taqiya, a Hamas squad commander involved in holding hostages, including Noa Argamani, Emily Hand, and Ohad Ben Ami, during their captivity in Gaza.