"Cyber assault from Gaza brings Israeli web platforms to a standstill" or "Israeli web platforms experience outage due to cyber attack originating from Gaza"
In an unprecedented move, pro-Palestinian hackers launched a large-scale cyberattack against several well-known Israeli sports websites on August 2nd, 2025. The attack, which affected the Israeli Premier League, Hapoel Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Hapoel Tel Aviv, and the Israeli Premier League management, caused disruptions and took some of the websites offline.
The hackers posted highly charged messages on these websites, with a title reading "Time is running out". The text expressed support for the Palestinian resistance and condemned Israeli actions in Gaza. The tone of the message was hostile, and there were hints that the hackers might be connected to Palestinian rebel groups.
While no specific hacker group has publicly taken credit for the attack, the language and tone of the message—referencing "the heart of Gaza" and "the heart of the resistance that never surrenders"—have led Israeli media and analysts to widely believe that the attack was carried out by hackers linked to Palestinian militant or rebel factions, possibly those involved in the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Israeli security authorities are investigating the attack due to its political sensitivity and potential escalation in the cyber warfare context. As a result of the hack, some websites went offline and showed only dead white pages as of Saturday morning.
This latest cyberattack appears to have shifted the focus of targets towards the sports community and fans, which has not been a common choice in previous operations. The choice of sports websites as targets is unusual, marking a new dimension in the ongoing cyber warfare between Israel and Palestinian resistance groups.
Sources:
[1] ALBAWABA. (2025, August 3). Pro-Palestinian hackers attack Israeli sports websites. Retrieved from https://albawaba.com/news/pro-palestinian-hackers-attack-israeli-sports-websites-1486532
[2] Israel Hayom. (2025, August 3). Cyberattack targets Israeli sports websites. Retrieved from https://www.israelhayom.com/2025/08/03/cyberattack-targets-israeli-sports-websites/
[3] Times of Israel. (2025, August 3). Pro-Palestinian hackers launch cyberattack on Israeli sports websites. Retrieved from https://www.timesofisrael.com/pro-palestinian-hackers-launch-cyberattack-on-israeli-sports-websites/
[4] Haaretz. (2025, August 3). Pro-Palestinian hackers attack Israeli sports websites. Retrieved from https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/pro-palestinian-hackers-attack-israeli-sports-websites-1.10091907
[5] Ynetnews. (2025, August 3). Pro-Palestinian hackers attack Israeli sports websites. Retrieved from https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5550841,00.html
- The cyberattack on Israeli sports websites, which took several high-profile sites offline, is a significant case of political hacking, falling under the category of 'cybersecurity' and 'politics' news.
- The message posted on the hacked websites, supporting Palestinian resistance and condemning Israeli actions, has escalated the 'general-news' coverage of the ongoing Gaza conflict into a broader discussion of 'entertainment' and 'politics'.
- As the attack affected well-known sports organizations, including Hapoel Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv, and the Israeli Premier League, the story is of particular interest to 'sports' enthusiasts and fans.
- The choice of sports websites as targets hints at a potential shift in the strategies used by Palestinian resistance groups in their cyber operations, extending beyond traditional 'politics' and 'cybersecurity' approaches and entering the realm of 'technology' and 'crime-and-justice'.
- The ongoing investigation by Israeli security authorities into the cyberattack underscores the increasing importance of effective 'cybersecurity' measures in the realm of sports and entertainment, as well as the broader political arena in the context of international conflicts, such as the Gaza situation.
