Jerusalem Post names two soldiers and two Hamas men killed in Gaza; Al-Modon counts '4 martyrs' and names none

The soldiers. Two Israeli reservists, Ofek Moalem, 23, and Nadav Kali, 24, were killed in Gaza, the Israeli army says. The Jerusalem Post quotes the head of the 99th Division, Brig.-Gen. Elad Tzuri: the soldiers were operating a drone, it crashed, they went to the crash site, and it exploded. The army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, has set up a team of experts to investigate, the Jerusalem Post reports.

The Hamas men. The army says it killed Hassan Mahmoud Siam, whom it calls a Hamas commander. It says he held the hostages Amit Soussana, Keith and Aviva Siegel, and Dafna Elyakim. Ynet adds, citing the army, that a second man was killed in Gaza City, and that both fired at troops and planted explosives "at the yellow line".

The Palestinians. Al-Modon's headline counts "4 martyrs in new violations by the occupation". The text we hold does not say who counted them, and it names none of them.

Outlet	Israeli soldiers	Hamas men	Four Palestinians
The Jerusalem Post	named; drone cause, per a general	both named; army's charges	not mentioned
Ynet	—	one named, "was eliminated"	not mentioned
Asharq Al-Awsat	"Army says" 2 killed	—	not mentioned
Al-Modon	"operational" incident, per army	—	counted, not named

What is not settled

Why the drone exploded. The army is still investigating.
The Hamas men's roles come from the army alone. We hold no Hamas or Palestinian account.
Who the four Palestinians were, and who counted them.
Whether the strikes on the two men happened that day. The Jerusalem Post says "this week".

This story is about one day of deaths in Gaza, nearly two years into a war, under a ceasefire meant to have stopped it.

How it got here. On 7 October 2023, Hamas led an attack from Gaza into southern Israel. Its fighters killed people in Israeli towns and at a music festival and took hostages back into Gaza. Israel answered with an air and ground war on Gaza. Its stated aims were to destroy Hamas and bring the hostages home. The war destroyed much of the Strip and displaced most of its people. Hostages were freed in stages during negotiated pauses. In October 2025 a ceasefire brokered by the United States took effect. Israeli forces pulled back to a boundary inside Gaza known as the "yellow line" and kept control of the ground behind it. Each side has since accused the other of breaking the truce.

Who is involved.

The Israeli army holds positions inside Gaza up to the yellow line. It says it strikes people it accuses of attacking its troops there.
Hamas governed Gaza before the war. Its armed wing still operates in the parts Israel does not hold.
Palestinians in Gaza live on the other side of that line. Deaths among them are usually counted by Gaza's health ministry, which Hamas runs, or by local outlets.
The hostages named in these reports were among those taken on 7 October 2023.

What is at stake. Each death near the yellow line tests whether the ceasefire holds. Each side points to its own dead as proof that the other is breaking it.

Where it stands. On 25 September the Israeli army announced that two of its soldiers had died in what it treats as an accident, and that it had killed two Hamas men in strikes. One outlet reported four Palestinians dead. The army is investigating the drone explosion.

The story so far

Earlier stories The AI Times filed on this thread.

What is being argued about

How two Israeli soldiers were killed by their own drone
The army's charges against the two Hamas men it killed
Four Palestinian dead counted in one headline, none named
Whether deaths near the yellow line break the ceasefire

Four outlets, three sets of deadSide by side

Outlet	What it says	Whose word
The Jerusalem Post	Ofek Moalem, 23, and Nadav Kali, 24, killed when the drone they were operating exploded	99th Division chief Brig.-Gen. Elad Tzuri
The Jerusalem Post	"IDF kills two Hamas terrorists who participated in Oct. 7 massacre"	The headline states it; the body says "According to the IDF"
Ynet	"The terrorist who held four hostages in Gaza was eliminated"	The army's announcement
Asharq Al-Awsat	"Israeli Army Says 2 Soldiers Killed in Gaza"	The army
Al-Modon	Two Israeli soldiers killed and "4 martyrs in new violations by the occupation"	The army for the soldiers; no source given for the four

Every account of the Israeli and Hamas deaths rests on the Israeli army. We hold no Palestinian account of any of them.

Sources

The Jerusalem Post

Ynet A Asharq Al-Awsat A Al-Modon

Claims and verdicts

unverified Two Israeli soldiers, Ofek Moalem, 23, and Nadav Kali, 24, were killed in Gaza when an Israeli military drone they were operating exploded.

The deaths are carried by The Jerusalem Post, Asharq Al-Awsat and Al-Modon, but all three rest on the Israeli army's announcement. The drone explanation comes only from the army's 99th Division commander, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post, and the army has opened an investigation.

Checked against 4 sources:

The Jerusalem Post A Asharq Al-Awsat A Al-Modon

The Jerusalem Post

unverified Israel killed Hassan Mahmoud Siam, a Hamas commander who had held four Israeli hostages, in Gaza City.

The Jerusalem Post and Ynet both report it, but both attribute it to the same Israeli army statement. No Palestinian or Hamas account of the strike is among the reports we hold.

Checked against 2 sources:

The Jerusalem Post

Ynet

unverified Four Palestinians were killed in Gaza on the same day.

Only Al-Modon's headline gives the figure, and the text we hold does not say who counted the dead or name them. No other report we hold carries a Palestinian toll for the day.

Checked against 1 source:

A Al-Modon

Who wrote it

G Goldie Katz The Jerusalem Post

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Army claim stated flat in the headline The headline states the men's part in 7 October as fact and calls them 'terrorists' in the report's own voice. The body attributes the charge to the army.×1

Claim upgraded to confirmation two political rivals confirm rather than allege×1

Headline states what body attributes The headline states the two men's role on 7 October as fact. The body gives it as 'According to the IDF'×1

Picture and text the image is a file photograph of a US jet over Washington on a holiday, not of the sale or the buyer×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 misleading4 unverified3 true

From 34 reports we hold under this byline, at The Jerusalem Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

א אלישע בן קימון Ynet

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Both sides quoted Both the army's rebuke and the police's reply are quoted directly×1

Both sides quoted Both agencies are quoted in their own words. The police get the last word.×1

Characterisation The report calls the army's rebuke 'unusual' in its own voice. It says police 'insist'.×1

Detained unnamed The arrests are a bare number: no names, no charges, no word from the four or their families×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

1 unverified1 true

From 153 reports we hold under this byline, at Ynet. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

T Tzvi Jasper The Jerusalem Post

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Anonymous source The account of Iranian concessions rests on an unnamed regional official, passed on second-hand through another newspaper.×1

Assertion vs attribution Mamdani's charge is attributed to him as his belief×1

Attributed or asserted the Iranian conditions are attributed inside the sentence to the named spokesman, not stated flat×1

Conditions left unnamed The deal is tied to conditions that the report never lists×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

3 disputed8 unverified5 true

From 122 reports we hold under this byline, at The Jerusalem Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

A Avi Ashkenazi The Jerusalem Post

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Asserted not attributed The report states in its own voice that the ridge was Hezbollah's last line of defence.×1

Cause attributed How the drone exploded is attributed to a named general×1

Cause from one source The only account of how the drone exploded comes from an Israeli division commander.×1

Dead named The two Israeli soldiers are named, with their ages×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

1 disputed3 unverified3 true

From 20 reports we hold under this byline, at The Jerusalem Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

J James Genn The Jerusalem Post

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Asserted vs attributed The site's purpose, a nuclear bomb testing facility, is stated flat in the photo caption, not credited to the think tank that supplied the imagery×1

Asymmetric hedging the Houthi account is marked a claim in the headline while the 'terror group' label is stated flat×1

Cause attributed How the drone exploded is attributed to a named general×1

Cause from one source The only account of how the drone exploded comes from an Israeli division commander.×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 disputed4 unverified3 true

From 34 reports we hold under this byline, at The Jerusalem Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

Y Yonah Jeremy Bob The Jerusalem Post

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Asserted flat States as fact, with no source, that the US is blocking China from resupplying Iran.×1

Cause attributed How the drone exploded is attributed to a named general×1

Cause from one source The only account of how the drone exploded comes from an Israeli division commander.×1

Counter voice the army and the security service are quoted against the minister's warning×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

1 disputed7 unverified2 true

From 73 reports we hold under this byline, at The Jerusalem Post. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

ا المدن - عرب وعالم Al-Modon

What the bias passes found in their reporting

Actor named The Israeli army is named as the shooter.×1

Army wording attributed The report attributes the description of the soldiers' deaths as an 'operational incident' to the army.×1

Asserted not attributed pressure on Abu Dhabi presented as revealed, not claimed×1

Asserted, not attributed the US block is stated as fact with no source named×1

Claims we checked that rest on their reporting

2 misleading7 disputed18 unverified15 true

From 801 reports we hold under this byline, at Al-Modon. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →

The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting. · 1 report we hold carries no byline — we do not invent one.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

The Jerusalem Post — independent

IDF kills two Hamas terrorists who participated in Oct. 7 massacre, held Israeli hostages

Names both Hamas men, Hassan Mahmoud Siam and Adham Sabhi Salim Ziara, and gives the army's charge that Siam held four hostages. It says the strikes came "this week".

According to the IDF, Hamas terrorist commander Hassan Mahmoud Siam held Amit Soussana, Keith and Aviva Siegel, and Dafna Elyakim hostage over the course of their captivity in Gaza.

Headline states what body attributes: The headline states the two men's role on 7 October as fact. The body gives it as 'According to the IDF' — “IDF kills two Hamas terrorists who participated in Oct. 7 massacre, held Israeli hostages”

Army claim stated flat in the headline: The headline states the men's part in 7 October as fact and calls them 'terrorists' in the report's own voice. The body attributes the charge to the army. — “IDF kills two Hamas terrorists who participated in Oct. 7 massacre”

Read it at The Jerusalem Post → https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-909721

Ynet — independent

חוסל המחבל שהחזיק בארבעה חטופים בעזה

In Hebrew, adds the army's charge that the two men fired at troops and planted explosives at the yellow line. Its headline names no one as the killer.

צה"ל פרסם אחר הצהריים (יום שישי) את זהותם של שני מחבלי חמאס שחוסלו השבוע ברצועת עזה. הוא מסר כי אחד מהם - המחבל חסן מחמוד סיאם, שהיה מפקד בזרוע הצבאית של ארגון הטרור - לקח חלק בטבח 7 באוקטובר והחזיק בחטופים עמית סוסנה, קית' ואביבה סיגל ודפנה אליקים. הוא חוסל בעיר עזה. המחבל השני, אדהם סבחי סלים זיארה, פעיל נוסף בזרוע הצבאית של חמאס, חוסל גם הוא בעיר עזה. על פי דובר צה"ל, המחבלים, שחוסלו מהאוויר, היו מעורבים בירי לעבר כוחות צה"ל והטמנת מטענים באזור הקו הצהוב - תוך הפרה שיטתית של הסכם הפסקת האש. מוקדם יותר, הודיע צה"ל כי חיסל אתמול בדיר אל-בלח שבמרכז רצועת עזה, את ג'בר מקבל, מחבל בזרוע הצבאית של

No actor named: The headline says the man 'was eliminated', with no actor named — “חוסל המחבל שהחזיק בארבעה חטופים בעזה”

No actor named: The Hebrew headline uses a passive verb: the militant 'was eliminated', and the headline does not say who killed him. — “חוסל המחבל שהחזיק בארבעה חטופים בעזה”

Read it at Ynet → https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/ryjwzee5ge

The Jerusalem Post — independent

IDF chief Zamir establishes expert team to investigate drone accident that killed two soldiers

The army's chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, has set up a team of experts, led by a Ground Forces brigadier-general, to investigate the drone accident.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir has ordered the establishment of an expert team to investigate the recent operational accident in which two IDF soldiers were killed, the military announced on Friday.The team, led by a Ground Forces brigadier-general, will examine the incident in order to ensure a similar one does not occur again.In addition, following the accident, all IDF attack drones will be grounded for 48 hours, after which a renewed assessment will be conducted.The "Atalef" (bat) suicide drone involved in the incident has been in operational use by the IDF since the start of the w

Read it at The Jerusalem Post → https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-909679

The Jerusalem Post — independent

IDF: Two soldiers killed by Israeli military drone exploding within Gaza outpost during operation

Names the two soldiers with their ages, and quotes the 99th Division chief on how the drone crashed and then exploded.

The two soldiers were operating the drone when it crashed; they went to investigate the crash site, and the drone exploded, 99th Division Chief Brig.-Gen. Elad Tzuri said.

Dead named: The two Israeli soldiers are named, with their ages — “Fallen soldiers Ofek Moalem, 23, and Nadav Kali, 24”

Cause attributed: How the drone exploded is attributed to a named general — “The two soldiers were operating the drone when it crashed; they went to investigate the crash site, and the drone exploded, 99th Division Chief Brig.-Gen. Elad Tzuri said.”

Dead named: The two Israeli soldiers are named, with their ages. — “Fallen soldiers Ofek Moalem, 23, and Nadav Kali, 24”

Cause from one source: The only account of how the drone exploded comes from an Israeli division commander. — “The two soldiers were operating the drone when it crashed; they went to investigate the crash site, and the drone exploded”

Read it at The Jerusalem Post → https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-909641

A Asharq Al-Awsat —

Israeli Army Says 2 Soldiers Killed in Gaza

Its headline gives the soldiers' deaths as the army's word: "Israeli Army Says".

Israel's army said Friday that two reserve soldiers were killed in Gaza, with a military source telling AFP they died in an explosion of an Israeli army drone. "The IDF drone crashed at a military post in the Gaza Strip but did not explode. The soldiers approached the drone, which exploded moments later," the official said. The army identified the soldiers as Nadav Kali, aged 24, and Ofek Moalem, 23, from its 7007th Battalion, 16th Brigade.

Attributed: The headline attributes the deaths to the army and gives no cause — “Israeli Army Says 2 Soldiers Killed in Gaza”

Read it at Asharq Al-Awsat → https://english.aawsat.com/node/5322389

A Al-Modon —

غزة: مقتل جنديين إسرائيليين و4 شهداء بخروقات جديدة للاحتلال

The only report to count Palestinian dead that day: "4 martyrs" in "new violations by the occupation". It reports that the army called the soldiers' deaths an "operational" incident.

حجم الخط مشاركة عبر أعلن الجيش الإسرائيلي مقتل جنديين من قوات الاحتياط في قطاع غزة، في حادث وصفه بالعملياتي، تزامن مع تصاعد خروقاته لاتفاق وقف إطلاق النار والتهدئة الهشة التي تسود القطاع، والتي أسفرت خلال الساعات الماضية عن استشهاد أربعة فلسطينيين وإصابة العشرات. وأكد الجيش الإسرائيلي في بيان صدر اليوم الجمعة، مقتل رقيبين ينتميان إلى الكتيبة 7007 التابعة للواء 16، خلال ما سماها معركة في قطاع غزة أمس الخميس. سقوط مسيرة داحل موقع عسكري ونقلت إذاعة الجيش الإسرائيلي عن التحقيقات الأولية، أن الحادث وقع عند نحو الساعة الرابعة من مساء الخميس، حين شغّل عناصر من اللواء 16 طائرتين مسيرتين مفخختين من طرا

Different words for the dead: The soldiers are 'killed' and the Palestinians are 'martyrs'. The four Palestinians are counted, not named — “مقتل جنديين إسرائيليين و4 شهداء بخروقات جديدة للاحتلال”

Dead counted, not named: The four Palestinians killed are given as a number and called martyrs. None is named, and the deaths are framed as the occupation's 'new violations'. — “4 شهداء بخروقات جديدة للاحتلال”

Army wording attributed: The report attributes the description of the soldiers' deaths as an 'operational incident' to the army. — “في حادث وصفه بالعملياتي”

Read it at Al-Modon → https://www.almodon.com/arabworld/2026/09/25/%D8%BA%D8%B2%D8%A9-%D9%85%…

Checked, didn’t cover

Haaretz

Palestine TV · Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation

IRNA (Islamic Republic News Agency)

North Press Agency

Shargh

Al-Monitor

Tehran Times

Al Jazeera English

An-Nahar

Silence is recorded, not inferred — each of these was read when we built this story and carried nothing on this event.

We could not read these

K Kan · Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation

The Times of Israel A Al-Sabaah

Ma'an News Agency

Al Rai

Al-Mada

WAFA · Palestinian News & Information Agency

SANA (Syrian Arab News Agency)

Al-Manar

Galei Tzahal (Army Radio)

Middle East Eye

Ammon News

LBCI (Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International)

These are must-cite outlets for this desk that we did not manage to read when we built this story. That is a gap in our reach, not a silence on their part, and it is not evidence of anything about this story.

Read another desk

Sections

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Desks

Jerusalem Post names two soldiers and two Hamas men killed in Gaza; Al-Modon counts '4 martyrs' and names none

The story so far

What is being argued about

Who is named, who is counted

The army's account, and no other

Claims and verdicts

Who wrote it

Coverage, outlet by outlet