A Doctored Image Circulated as the ID Card of Al-Qassam’s Recently Captured Soldier
The Claim
📢 The identity of the not an IDF soldier abducted by the Gazan terrorists that they have been rambling about all week has been revealed: an Algerian named Ahmed Ben Talib, born in Ain Sefra, Algeria.
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Emerging story
An image widely shared on social media claims to reveal the identity of the soldier captured by Hamas as Ahmed Bin Talib from Aïn Séfra, Algeria.
Pro-Israel social media users claimed that he is now facing accusations of collaborating with Israel.
A Twitter user shared the image of the ID and alleged, "The identity of the not an IDF soldier abducted by the Gazan resistance that they have been rambling about all week has been revealed: an Algerian named Ahmed Ben Talib, born in Ain Sefra, Algeria."
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral image and found it to be fake.
Misbar's investigative team found that the image of the identification card is digitally edited.
This Is a Lost ID Card in Algeria in 2017
This Algerian ID has been doctored to resemble the face of the body presented by Al-Qassam Brigades video as evidence of their ambush against "Elite IOF soldiers" on May 25, 2023.
The original image, uploaded to Facebook on December 14, 2017, has since been removed. Misbar's team traced the original image and found a screenshot of it recently published by a Twitter user.
The photo was modified by altering the facial features of the person to make him resemble the soldier whom Al-Qassam announced had been killed. The modifications included changes to the eyebrows and nose, the lips and chin to make them appear wider and more defined, and the ears. Smile wrinkles were also added to make the person appear from the same age of the dead soldier that Al-Qassam abducted.
Misbar's investigative team also found similarities between the two images, such as the hairline, clothes, and the watermark.
Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades Captured an Israeli Soldier in Gaza
Hamas's al-Qassam Brigades announced on May 25 that they captured Israeli soldiers during an operation in the Gaza Strip.
In a recorded message, Abu Obaida, the al-Qassam Brigades spokesperson, stated that fighters "carried out a complex operation on Saturday afternoon in the northern Gaza Strip, where they lured a Zionist force into one of the tunnels in the Jabalia refugee camp."
Al-Qassam fighters "ambushed this force inside the tunnel and at its entrance, and engaged with its members at point-blank range.”
"When an Israeli reinforcement force arrived, it was also attacked with explosive devices," he added.
He confirmed that the resistance caused all members of the force to fall between dead, wounded, and captive and seized their military equipment without specifying the number of captives.
Al-Qassam released footage showing the withdrawal of one of the bodies of Israeli army casualties detained in the operation, as well as a helmet, military clothing, and weapons.
Moreover, Al-Qassam Brigades broadcasted scenes of what was allowed to be published about the capture of Israeli soldiers in Jabalia via Al Jazeera network.
However, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee denied the claim on Twitter, stating that there was “no incident of soldier capturing.”
Recent Updates from the Israeli War on Gaza
Since October 7, at least 36,439 Palestinians have been killed and 82,627 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s government reports that more than 3,500 children are at risk of dying of starvation as Israel continues to restrict aid deliveries.
Over one million people have been forcefully displaced from Rafah, and Israeli forces killed 22 people in overnight attacks across Gaza.
Furthermore, Jabalia and Beit Hanoun, left in ruins after an Israeli military operation ended a few days ago, have been declared "disaster areas."
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