The American newspaper The New York Times He released a retraction on Wednesday (30) about an article showing people in the Gaza Strip suffering from severe malnutrition and hunger amid the war between Israel and Hamas.
In the publication, a moving photo of a child under 2 years old was used, but without much information about her. Subsequently, the hospital where the child was treated and a doctor from Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq explained that she suffered from pre-existing diseases.
In an interview with BBCLast week, the mother of the child, Hedaya al-Mutawaq, said that before the war, he already suffered from hypotonia, a disease also known as lack of muscle tone. Despite this condition, the child learned to sit and get up “like other children” with physical therapy sessions, said the mother.
According to British broadcaster, he was photographed by Ahmed Al-Arini on July 21 in a tent erected in the Gaza Strip. Before the humanitarian crisis began with the war caused by Hamas in the Middle East, Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq weighed about nine pounds. “Now he weighs six pounds,” the mother told BBCsaying that the child also suffered from malnutrition beyond the previous disease.
In the photo used by TimesMohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq appears with his back positioned in the parent’s arms. The commotion of the image lies in the perception of the skeletal body of the child. The photo gained international repercussions and became one of the symbols of the denounced hunger at the Palestinian enclave.
“If The Times was aware of the information before the publication, it would have been included in the article and the image caption,” the American newspaper wrote in a editor note accompanied by other corrections in different articles.
Israel says Hamas is exploring narrative in his favor
The government of Israel criticized the use of the photo by New York Timesciting the retraction of the newspaper in a publication in X. this Thursday (31), the coordinator of government activities in the territories (COGAT), the Ministry of Defense Israeli, cited another image that classified as “misleading propaganda” against the country.
The government referred to the other viral image of a 14-year-old Palestinian boy, Abdul Qader Al-Fayoumi, who allegedly starving in Gaza.
According to COGAT, the version is “misleading”, citing a teenager’s genetic neurological disorder, which was treated in Israel in 2018.
In the X, the agency that coordinates the distribution of humanitarian aid said that the terrorist group Hamas is exploring these narratives to spread lies and blame Israel for the situation.
“Hamas is using pictures of sick children to promote ‘hunger’ narrative and blame Israel. But the truth tells a different story,” says the publication, adding that Israel had evacuated 180 patients and their caregivers for treatment outside the country.
“Meanwhile, Hamas continues to exploit them cynically for their own distorted agenda, and part of the international media believes in it,” added Cogat in the publication.
Trump speaks of “real hunger” in Gaza
This week, US President Donald Trump rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s version that there is no hunger in Gaza.
“It’s really hunger. I see, and you can’t pretend. So let’s get even more involved,” said the Republican on Monday (28).
Trump maintained his position that the greatest responsibility for the humanitarian crisis is from Hamas, which began the war with the October 7 massacre, but did not remove any fault of Israel for the situation.
This Thursday, the US president again made comments about Gaza. He said in Truth Social that “the fastest way to end Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza is Hamas surrender and free the hostages.”
