Sick children with preconditions, used to propagate "starvation" propaganda:
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Mohammed Zakaria Ayoub al-Matouq *
The photo of the toddler who became a symbol of hunger in Gaza: Investigation shows he suffers from genetic disease.
Photos of Muhammad al-Matouq, the emaciated Gazan toddler photographed wearing a diaper made from a garbage bag, were published in nearly every media outlet covering the crisis in the Strip; But an independent journalist finds that he suffers from a background of genetic diseases, including cerebral palsy and a lack of oxygen in the blood; which contribute to his appearance; His diseases were omitted from report, and the narrative of starvation in Gaza intensified.
Itamar Eichner | published: 07.28.25.
Photos of Muhammad al-Matouq, the emaciated Gazan toddler photographed wearing a diaper made from a garbage bag, were published in nearly every media outlet covering the crisis in the Strip; But an independent journalist finds that he suffers from a background of genetic diseases, including...
www.ynetnews.com
One Picture, A Thousand Lies.
How Western Media Became a Mouthpiece for Gaza "Hunger" Propaganda.
Viral images portraying a severely emaciated Palestinian boy as the “face of hunger in Gaza.” The boy, used as the centerpiece of a Hamas campaign, suffers from genetic disorders and muscle conditions, a fact largely ignored by most media outlets.
Gila Isaacson.
Jul 28, 2025.
Heart-wrenching images of a severely emaciated Palestinian boy, spread by leading international media outlets as the “face of hunger in Gaza” and “proof” of widespread suffering due to the war, do not tell the full story.
An investigation reveals that the boy, Mohammed Zakaria Ayoub al-Matouq, suffers from multiple genetic disorders and pre-existing medical conditions, a fact entirely overlooked by the vast majority of media coverage.
Viral images portraying a severely emaciated Palestinian boy as the “face of hunger in Gaza.” The boy, used as the centerpiece of a Ham - JFeed Israel News
www.jfeed.com
How Western media misused a sick child to perpetuate a false Gaza starvation narrative
The al-Matouk case is not an anomaly but rather the latest chapter in a decades-long pattern. Opinion.
Fern Sidman.
Jul 30, 2025.
The al-Matouk case is not an anomaly but rather the latest chapter in a decades-long pattern. Opinion.
www.israelnationalnews.com
NYT Forced to Eat Crow After Falling for Super Obvious Lie About Israel 'Starving' Palestinians.
By Johnathan Jones. July 30, 2025.
War is ugly, but misusing photos of disabled children to score political points – as the Times did – is also despicable.
www.westernjournal.com
Time to call out media distortion on Gaza.
The misleading photo in The New York Times is just the tip of the iceberg - opinion.
It's okay to report a humanitarian crisis, but as a part of the whole story, with balanced information about all the relevant actors.
By Lilac Sigan. The Jerusalem Post
July 31, 2025.
Luckily, we have Israel's Consul in New York, Ofir Akunis. He’s the one who made the New York Times apologize for the giant photo published on its front page on July 25, featuring an emaciated baby in its mother's arms, with a headline about starvation in Gaza.
It's okay to report a humanitarian crisis, but as a part of the whole story, with balanced information about all the relevant actors.
www.jpost.com
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Osama al-Rakab *
Gaza ‘starvation’ poster child has genetic condition, left Strip with Israel’s help
"Osama suffers from a serious genetic illness unrelated to the war," stated the Defense Ministry's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit.
JNS Staff.
(July 28, 2025 / JNS)
A Gaza boy who became the poster child for the alleged famine caused by the war in the Strip suffers from a genetic illness and was evacuated for treatment last month, the Israeli Defense Ministry said on Monday.
A picture of Osama al-Rakab, 5, was “used to falsely depict Israel as responsible for his condition, claiming Israel is starving children,” including in Italian media and on Al Jazeera, Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) unit stated.
“Osama suffers from a serious genetic illness unrelated to the war. On June 12, we actively coordinated Osama’s exit from Gaza with his mother and brother through the Ramon airport,” stated COGAT.
The boy is currently being treated in an Italian hospital, it continued.
“Tragic images rightfully stir strong emotions, but when they’re misused to fuel hatred and lies, they do more harm than good,” said COGAT. “Don’t let compassion be exploited for propaganda.
“Check the facts before parroting blame,” the Defense Ministry unit stated, attaching a picture showing Osama in a hospital gown in Italy.
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Sila Barbakh *
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs
July 30, 2025.
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A real child.
A fake story.
11-month-old Sila Barbakh isn’t starving — he suffers from a pre-existing chronic gastrointestinal illness, unrelated to the war.
But global media used his photo to push a false narrative of famine in Gaza.
This isn’t journalism. It’s propaganda.
Hananya Naftali
July 31, 2025.
The media showed this baby and said he’s starving because of Israel.
That’s a LIE. This is 11-month-old Sila Barbakh. He’s not starving — he has a long-term stomach illness, totally unrelated to the war in Gaza.
But anti-Israel outlets used his photo to push a fake famine story and blame Israel for something that isn’t true. This is how propaganda works. No civilian should go hungry - and that's why Israel is delivering extra aid.
The media showed this baby and said he’s starving because of Israel. That’s a LIE. This is 11-month-old Sila Barbakh. He’s not starving — he has a long-term ...
m.youtube.com
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Abdullah Hani Mahmad Abu Zarka *
The Daily Sceptic.
The Media’s Complicity in Hamas Propaganda.
by Will Jones, 28 July 2025.
In the past week, a heart-wrenching image of a desperately thin Gazan child has been splashed on the front pages of newspapers worldwide and all over social media. But what none of them have told you, says David Collier, is that the child has a serious genetic disorder – and his brother is well
In the past week, an image of a desperately thin Gazan child has been splashed on the front pages of newspapers worldwide. What they miss out, says David Collier, is that the child has a serious genetic disorder.
dailysceptic.org
COGAT @cogatonline
Hamas's "Starvation Campaign" is a coordinated effort to mislead the public.
A thorough review by the defense establishment exposes how Hamas is misrepresenting deaths from pre-existing medical conditions as malnutrition to advance their political agenda.
For instance, in recent weeks, images of four-year-old Abdullah Hani Muhammad Abu Zarqa were circulated, claiming his condition was due to hunger in Gaza. A COGAT review found that he suffers from a genetic disease causing vitamin and mineral deficiencies, osteoporosis, and bone thinning - a hereditary illness that also affected other family members. Four months before the outbreak of the war, the child traveled with his mother, with Israeli approval, to receive medical treatment at Al-Makassed Hospital in east Jerusalem.
Hamas cynically exploits tragic images and misuses them for a false and timed propaganda campaign aimed at generating pressure and creating negative public opinion against Israel.
We will continue working to improve the humanitarian response in Gaza, in cooperation with the international community, while rejecting allegations of famine in the Gaza Strip.
Aug 12, 2025
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Karam Khaled Mustafa al-Jamal *
Israel Defense Forces
@IDF:
Another example: 27 year-old Karam Khaled Mustafa al-Jamal died from lifelong muscular dystrophy & partial paralysis, not hunger. 3/4
Aug 12, 2025
