ISRAEL: Hackers interrupt Eurovision webcast

An Israeli webcast of the first Eurovision semi-final has been hacked to show faked explosions in host city Tel Aviv. Viewers saw a warning about a fictitious attack on the city, accompanied by an animated video and the sound of air raid sirens. The Israeli national broadcaster, Kan, blamed Hamas for the interruption, though the […]

An Israeli webcast of the first Eurovision semi-final has been hacked to show faked explosions in host city Tel Aviv.

Viewers saw a warning about a fictitious attack on the city, accompanied by an animated video and the sound of air raid sirens.

The Israeli national broadcaster, Kan, blamed Hamas for the interruption, though the Palestinian militant group has not commented.

The TV broadcast was not affected.

Viewers tuning in to the Kan webcast saw the warning: “Risk of missile attack. Please take shelter,” under a fake logo of the Israeli army and the sound of a rocket-warning siren.

Aerial images showed simulated explosions at sites near the Eurovision venue and the warning: “Israel is not safe. You will see.”

Kan downplayed the impact of the video, which looped for about 10 minutes.

“We know that at a certain stage there was an attempt, apparently by Hamas, to commandeer our digital broadcast,” chief executive, Eldad Koblenz, told Israel’s Army Radio.