Fury in Israel as trolls post AI images of 'anti-Semitic sharks' wearing Hamas bandanas after man was savagely attacked by beast off Hadera beach
Two of the AI-generated images show a shark wearing a green Hamas bandana or keffiyeh with the caption 'the warrior in the Abu-shark force', with trolls also dubbing the predator the 'al-Qassam shark' in reference to Hamas' al-Qassam brigade.
Some of the trolls sharing the pictures said it was 'the anti-Semitic shark' who was 'fight to total victory', Israeli outlet Ynet reports.
A third one is a fake picture of former IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari next to a shark, which was posted with the caption claiming Hagari threatened retaliation against the animal and announced that the incident resulted in only 'minor injuries'.
The posts have caused fury in Israel, with local media saying the savage shark attack on Monday was used to incite anti-Semitic hatred.
The married father, who is missing and feared dead, said he wanted to swim with sharks was savaged off Hadera's Olga Beach.
Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water during the bloody attack as it quickly turned red.
'I warned him not to go into the sea, and then I received the bitter news,' his friend told Ynet, adding that the married father had entered the water to swim with the sharks.
Horrifying footage shows the man flailing in the water off the coast of Hadera's Olga Beach on Monday during the bloody attack as the water quickly turned red
The man's haunting last words have been revealed by an eyewitness, who said he screamed: 'I'm bitten, I'm bitten,' as he waved his hands in the air.
'After a few minutes, sharks bit him - and suddenly he disappeared,' the beachgoer told Channel 12 News.
But the man, whos is missing and feared dead after the savage attack, wasn't the only one interested in getting close to the predators off Hadera.
Videos shared on social media show other beach-goers, including children, standing in the water and marvelling at the sharks as they swam around their legs just moments before the man was attacked.
Some holidaymakers coming to the area to see the sharks would even grab them by their tails and beat them with an oar, according to the chairwoman of the Israeli Shark Association.
The association said people actively approaching the predators was 'unreasonable behaviour'.
The Society for the Protection of Nature in Israel has reacted to the shark attack by saying it called on the state four years ago to regulate behaviour in waters sharks visit.
It said: 'Every winter, a unique phenomenon occurs in Israel in which sharks and rays gather at the outlet of the warm waters of the power stations.
A man can be seen right next to a shark as it swims by in the shallow waters
'In the case of such a fascinating and public-attracting phenomenon, it would be appropriate to take conservation and safety measures for the public, but over the years, chaos has developed in the area.
'I started recording and saw they were sharks. They got within 164 to 328ft of the shoreline, which caused panic among swimmers.
'Still, some tried to approach them despite the lifeguard's clear orders to get out of the water. The sharks moved from south to north, did a sort of 'dance', and eventually disappeared.'
Shark attacks in the Mediterranean are extremely rare, with 50 recorded since 1900, and only 11 fatal.
The man's body has not yet been found, with divers continuing their search off Hadera's coast today. He is believed to have been attacked by at least three sharks, Ynet reports.
The Hadera Municipality Coastal Department said it was 'conducting searches by jet ski to locate the diver and will continue to update as developments occur'.
'We urge the public traveling in the area to avoid entering the water and contact with the sharks,' it added.
Police and rescue workers were deployed to the scene after receiving an emergency call at 3.02pm on Monday, with the police saying in a statement that no casualties had yet been located.
Israel Police said: 'A short time ago, officers from the Hadera Police Station and the Maritime Police were dispatched to the Hadera stream following reports from citizens who claimed they saw a shark attacking a diver in the water.
'Forces are en route, but no casualties have been located so far.'
Footage uploaded to social media has also shown helicopters scanning the waters for the missing diver.
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