Footage of stripped Palestinians attracts global outcry
Videos of nude Palestinian men circulating online stoked outrage as Israeli forces attempted to downplay the situation, according to The Telegraph and numerous media outlets worldwide.
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said that the men were stripped down as part of routine searches as Israeli media documented on December 7 that the individuals appeared to be surrendering weapons.
Palestinian militants Hamas said that those who were unclothed by Israeli forces were unarmed civilians despite Israeli media claiming that they had connections to the Gaza-controlling group.
READ: Israeli forces commit most brutal attack on Gaza
Following the disturbing footage, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau, Izzat Al- Rishq said on December 10, “The (Israeli) occupation’s claims that they are from al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas’ armed wing) are unfounded lies.
“The Zionist occupation published images and scenes of unarmed civilians in Gaza, after they were detained and weapons were placed next to them, which is nothing but a chapter out of the occupation’s ridiculous and obvious ploy to manufacture an alleged victory over the men of the resistance.”
Over 17,000 are dead, thousands are feared missing and over one and a half million have been displaced as trigger-happy Israeli forces continue their ruthless targeting of the densely populated Gaza Strip, often referred to as, “the biggest open-air prison on the planet”.
Regarding the viral images of the stripped Palestinian men, British pro-Palestinian columnist Owen Jones wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on December 8, “Like images from Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo before them, this will be seen – by much of the world – to sum up the deceit of Western moral supremacy and radicalise new generations to take up arms.”
Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari was pressed on the matter during a briefing. He boasted that “terrorists were surrendering” to the army.
AFP/ The Telegraph
