On Thursday, December 7, pictures of stripped and blindfolded individuals spread among Israeli social media accounts. These images were claimed to depict over 100 members of Hamas being detained by Israeli forces after they exited tunnels in northern Gaza.
The Occupation Detains Civilians in Northern Gaza
Upon investigating this claim, Misbar found several elements indicating that the pictures do not show members of Hamas detained by the Israeli occupation after they exiting the tunnels. Instead, they show civilians under investigation by the Israeli army, including a number of journalists detained north of the Gaza Strip.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation “Kan” published one of these pictures on its X account, stating that it documents the detention of dozens of Palestinians by the Israeli army during the ground invasion in northern Gaza. Kan did not assert that they were Hamas fighters but pointed out that they were under investigation to determine their affiliation with the Hamas movement.
In a statement published on Thursday, December 7, the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor also documented “the detention of journalists, doctors, academics, and elderly people in centers for the displaced in northern Gaza after they were stripped."
Journalist Diaa Al-Kahlout Among the Detained
The Al-Araby Al-Jadeed newspaper announced that its correspondent in northern Gaza, Diaa Al-Kahlout, was among the individuals detained by the Israeli army.
According to the newspaper, Al-Kahlout was among dozens of Palestinians detained by the Israeli occupation. Civilians were forced to strip down to their underwear, searched and humiliated during the detention process before being taken to an unknown location, as reported by the testimonies of locals cited in the newspaper.
“I saw Israeli forces shoot and kill at least seven young people in separate incidents because they were slow to strip down and obey the army’s humiliating and insulting orders," said Mohammed Al-Raii, a young eyewitness, to the Euro-Med Monitor.
The Plight of Gaza Captives in Israeli Prisons
Captives from the Gaza strip are enduring harsh conditions during interrogation in the occupation prisons. Organizations specializing in captive affairs reported on Thursday that the occupation amended the detention law, extending the detention period to 45 days, which can be extended to and additional 45 days. Detainees are prohibited from meeting their lawyers. The organizations stated in a published statement by the Palestinian Detainee Club that they are unaware of the exact number of detainees currently under investigation.
Gaza Aggression Death Toll Rises
The Israeli aggression on Gaza has killed 17,177 Palestinian civilians and caused injures to 46,000 others, according to the latest figures by the Palestinian Health Ministry.
The ministry also stated that counting the victims poses significant challenges due to ongoing bombings and the difficulty in accessing many victims still trapped under rubble or stranded on roads.
Ashraf Al-Qudra, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, highlighted on December 7, the 62nd day of the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza, that "1.9 million displaced individuals in shelters are facing the imminent danger of famine and the spread of diseases." He further added that "hundreds of thousands of these displaced individuals are pregnant women, children, patients with chronic illnesses, and injured individuals, all of whom are at risk of death due to the lack of food and healthcare."
Read More
Us vs. Them: How Germany’s Largest Paper Frames the News
Israel Falsely Claimed a Kurdish Fighter’s Photo Was an Israeli Woman Raped on October 7
