The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has reportedly hacked into a Hamas television station as part of an ongoing war of information in Gaza. According to local media reports, the IDF took over the Al-Aqsa television station last weekend, and is using it to broadcast pro-Israeli content in Arabic:
‘AFP reports, a “broadcast on Al-Aqsa television was interrupted with an image of a ringing phone that no one was answering.” ‘Hamas leaders are hiding and they are leaving you on the front line,’” a voice in “Hebrew-accented Arabic” said. Similar messages were sent out on Al-Aqsa radio, as well.’
The Al-Asqa station was probably chosen because of its previous association with anti-semitic childrens’ cartoons. The station itself was also targeted and destroyed during aerial strikes last week.
Interestingly, the cyberwar has not been confined to one side. Last week, an Israeli domain name registrar fell victim to a cyberprotest hack that appears to be of Moroccan origin. However, rather than simply disabling the server, visitors were redirected to a website containing anti-Israeli propaganda. A large increase in security incursions upon Israeli IT assets has also been reported.
Clearly, the IDF’s hijack of Al-Aqsa is simply the latest battle in an ongoing cyberwar in Gaza. While the use of hijacked broadcasting assets to spread propaganda is hardly a new phenomenon, internet broadcasting attacks reflect a rapidly expanding aspect of information warfare.
