Hamas Uses Misleading Imagery of Sick Children to Further Its Agenda

Context of the Claims

In recent days, images of 14-year-old Abdul Qader al-Fayoumi have circulated on social media, echoed by Hamas, alleging that his condition is a result of starvation in Gaza. However, investigations conducted by Israel’s security apparatus reveal that Abdul was treated in Israel in 2018 for a genetic disorder affecting his nervous system. This case highlights a wider trend where Hamas is accused of manipulating the narratives surrounding health issues in Gaza for propaganda purposes.

Government Response

The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) publicly denounced Hamas’s actions today via a post on X (formerly Twitter) aimed at the international community. The post asserts that Hamas has been exploiting sick children to promote a narrative of famine in Gaza while blaming Israel. COGAT emphasized that Abdul was start of many Gazan children who have received medical treatment in Israel prior to the destruction of the Erez Crossing by Hamas on October 7. Furthermore, Israel continues to facilitate medical evacuations of Gazan citizens to third countries through the Kerem Shalom border crossing; just yesterday, 180 patients and their escorts were transferred for ongoing medical care in Europe and Jordan.

Correction of Misleading Narratives

The American newspaper, the New York Times, recently updated an article featuring the image of start-and-a-half-year-old Muhammad Zakaria al-Ma’tuq, presented as a victim of hunger in Gaza. Following the publication, it emerged that the child had pre-existing health issues, information that was not included in the original article. This update surfaced after discussions initiated by the Israeli consulate in New York with the newspaper’s editorial team. Israeli diplomats presented medical documents indicating that al-Ma’tuq was diagnosed with rare genetic conditions at birth, pointing out that framing him as a symbol of absolute hunger misrepresents the reality and serves a false narrative propagated by Hamas.

Conclusion

Hamas’s repeated exploitation of images of sick children raises significant ethical concerns about the manipulation of narratives related to health crises. As Israel continues to assist in medical care for Gaza’s residents, it is crucial for the international community to discern fact from propaganda and understand the complexities underlying the humanitarian issues in the region.

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