Outdated Photo Allegedly Shows the Arrest of Two Palestinians During the Gaza War
The Claim
A picture of an unprecedented war crime where the occupation forces detained children in Gaza, mistreated them, and stripped them of their clothes.
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Recently, social media users have been circulating a photo alleging to depict Israeli occupation soldiers arresting two Palestinian children in Gaza. The claim states that the soldiers stripped the children of their clothes and blindfolded them, coinciding with the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the claim and found it to be misleading, as the picture is old and does not depict Israeli soldiers arresting Palestinian children during the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.
Arrest of Two Palestinian Children in 2018
The Israeli organization "Breaking the Silence" shared the photo on Facebook on March 29, 2018. The organization attached the photo with a testimony from an Israeli army sergeant discussing Easter in Hebron. The sergeant mentioned that the Israeli army had raided a Palestinian family's home and stayed there for five days. According to the post, the sergeant's testimony dates back to 2006.
What Is the Israeli Organization “Breaking the Silence”?
The Israeli organization "Breaking the Silence," established in 2004, defines itself as "an organization of former Israeli military personnel who served in the Israeli army since 2000."
The organization aims to shed light on the violations committed against Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territories. This is achieved by collecting testimonies and reports from former Israeli soldiers about the violations they participated in during their military service in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
These violations include arbitrary arrests, torture, home demolitions, and attacks on Palestinian civilians, among others.
The Israeli Army Commits Terrible Crimes Against Prisoners, Including Children
The Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor published a report on May 21st, documenting testimonies of about 100 recently released Palestinian detainees. The testimonies confirm the Israeli army's commission of appalling crimes against thousands of civilian prisoners, including children and women, from the Gaza Strip.
The report includes four testimonies from children recently released from occupation prisons. The Euro-Med Monitor emphasized the Israeli army's commitment of arbitrary arrests, forced disappearances, deliberate killings, sexual assaults, and physical and psychological torture against Palestinian prisoners from the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Occupation Using Children as Human Shields
The Defence for Children International revealed, in a report released on May 12, that Israeli occupation forces had employed three children as human shields during their incursion into Tulkarm camp in the northern West Bank on May 5 and 6.
The organization cited the testimonies of the three children stating that occupation soldiers coerced them to walk ahead in the camp's alleys, search houses, and demand residents to evacuate. In two instances, soldiers placed their rifles on the shoulders of two children and fired shots.
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