No Credible Sources Reported the Killing of 12 Indian Soldiers in Gaza
The Claim
Hamas has killed 12 Indian soldiers fighting for Israel in Gaza. Why Indians dying for Zionists?
News posted on
Emerging story
Social media users widely circulated a claim alleging that Hamas killed 12 Indian soldiers fighting for Israel in Gaza.
The claim has reached millions of views on X, with one user posting, “Hamas has killed 12 Indian soldiers fighting for Israel in Gaza. Why Indians dying for Zionists?”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral claim and found it to be misleading.
No credible media outlets reported the killing of 12 Indian soldiers fighting for Israel in Gaza.
Misbar’s investigative team found a report published by The Indian Express on November 1, 2023, stating that only one Indian-origin soldier was among the 11 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza.
The Economic Times also reported on November 3, 2023, the news that an Indian-origin soldier was among 11 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza.
It seems that social media trolls used this old report to back their claims.
According to The Economic Times, community members and the Mayor of Dimona confirmed that a 20-year-old Israeli soldier of Indian origin, Staff Sgt. Halel Solomon, was among 11 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza. Solomon was a resident of Dimona, a town in southern Israel.
Misbar also investigated the number of Indian-origin soldiers serving in the Israeli military and killed in Gaza, finding a video report uploaded by WION, an Indian English-language news channel.
The report indicates that, as of February 27, 2024, three Indian-origin soldiers serving in the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) had been killed in Gaza.
Reports: Mercenaries Are Fighting Along IOF in Gaza
Several reports indicate that Israel recruits mercenaries from various nationalities to serve in its military attacks against Palestinians in Gaza.
In December 2023, a French lawmaker revealed that over 4,000 French citizens had joined the Israeli military during its war on Gaza.
In addition, sources suggest that over 1,000 Australians, 1,000 Italians, and 400 Indians also serve in Gaza.
Other countries, including the U.K., Germany, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Finland, and South Africa, are reportedly contributing foreign fighters to IOF, according to Middle East Eye.
In December 2023, Abu Obaida, spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, said that Israel is deploying mercenaries in its war on Gaza.
Israel’s Aggressive War on Gaza Is Ongoing
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli occupation forces killed 33 Palestinians and injured 156 in the latest 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that Gaza’s humanitarian crisis “could soon escalate into famine,” as Israel continues to restrict food and supplies from entering the area.
Since October 7, 2023, Israel killed at least 43,374 Palestinians and injured over 102,261 in the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
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