Latest news with #MuhammadZakariyaAyyoubal-Matouq
Vancouver Sun
2 days ago
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
'Hamas's propaganda war': Israel battles famine allegations
Israeli authorities are strongly disputing media reports showing three purportedly starving Gazan children, insisting all have pre-existing medical conditions. The two boys and one girl – five-year-old Osama al-Rakab, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq and 11-month-old Sila Barbakh — have become symbols of Gaza's ongoing food crisis as Israel has come under intense international pressure amid allegations of widespread starvation and throttled humanitarian aid. On Monday, President Donald Trump said there was 'real starvation' unfolding in the Gaza Strip, while hedging his statement by asserting Hamas was 'stealing the food.' The Israeli government has maintained that nearly 1,000 aid trucks full of supplies have remained stuck at the Gaza border due to obstruction from international organizations, including the United Nations, and that the situation is being exploited by Hamas for political gain. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Hundreds of aid trucks have entered Gaza with Israel's approval, but the supplies are standing idle, undelivered,' Israel's Foreign Ministry shared on social media above a picture of foreign media visiting the Kerem Shalom crossing. 'The reason? The UN refuses to distribute the aid. Hamas and the UN prevent the aid to reach the civilians in Gaza. The world deserves to know the truth.' On the country's official X account on Tuesday, Israel said al-Matouq, whose image has been used in global media coverage about the food crisis in Gaza, 'suffers from cerebral palsy.' 'But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza — playing into the hands of Hamas's propaganda war. Without proper disclosure. Without medical context. Without journalistic ethics.' Unlike his brother standing by his side, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq suffers from cerebral palsy. But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza —… Doubts over the accuracy of al-Matouq's heart-wrenching images have been raised in recent days after British journalist David Collier publicized contradicting information. Collier wrote a detailed thread on Sunday explaining that al-Matouq 'suffers from cerebral palsy, has hypoxemia, and was born with a serious genetic disorder,' purportedly based on a 2025 medical report of his. Exclusive: This is not the face of famine. It is the face of a medically vulnerable child whose tragic situation was hijacked and weaponised. Exposing the truth behind the viral Gaza 'famine' image of Mohammed Al-Matouq. 1/13 🧵⬇️⬇️⬇️ Earlier this year, Collier discovered that a much-touted BBC documentary, 'Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone,' was narrated by the son of a senior Hamas official, which led to its retraction by the British public broadcaster. Al-Matouq's picture was used across international media as a defining image testifying to the devastating personal cost of Israel's war in Gaza and the ongoing aid crisis in the Strip. 'A horrifying image encapsulating the 'maelstrom of human misery' gripping Gaza,' the Daily Express described him. Al-Matouq appears to be the only image of a skeletal child used in the New York Times digital story from last Thursday entitled, 'Gazans are dying of starvation.' On Tuesday afternoon, the Times issued an editors' note clarifying that since the publication of the story, the outlet 'learned from his doctor that Mohammed also had pre-existing health problems.' 'This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation,' a separate statement reads. The Israeli government's social media message came a day after its foreign ministry highlighted similar concerns about the image of five-year-old Osama al-Rakab, another child used as an alleged illustration of the severe malnourishment Gazan youth confront. Al-Rakab's bony torso was featured on Al Jazeera and across various Italian media outlets, with one featuring his image beneath a title evoking a famous book from a Jewish survivor of Nazi death camps. However, according to Israel's Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), al-Rakab reportedly 'suffers from a serious genetic illness unrelated to the war' and was transported out of Gaza alongside his mother and brother to an Israeli airport for treatment abroad. 'This is what a modern blood libel looks like: A sick child. A hijacked photo. A lie that spreads faster than truth,' the Israeli foreign ministry's X account wrote on Monday. This is what a modern blood libel looks like: A sick child. A hijacked photo. A lie that spreads faster than truth. His name is Osama al-Raqab. He has cystic fibrosis, a serious genetic illness. He's been in Italy receiving treatment since June 12. Israel enabled his medical… Later Tuesday, Israel's official X account publicized a third infant, 11-month-old Sila Barbakh, who allegedly 'isn't starving' but 'suffers from a pre-existing chronic gastrointestinal illness, unrelated to the war.' 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. An account alleging Barbakh was suffering from starvation was featured in The Times of London , explaining that the baby weighed just 'seven and a half pounds' according to a pediatrician. Data published by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry last weekend reported that 56 Palestinians died of starvation in July, representing almost half of the total since the war began on October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian terror group invaded Israel. In late May, the handover of humanitarian supplies was redesigned and shifted away from the United Nations to an American-backed and Israeli-supported outfit, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). Under the new arrangement, Gazan civilians were required to travel into Israeli-militarily controlled areas to procure supplies. GHF reportedly distributed nearly 90 million meals to civilians and faced significant opposition from Hamas, which attacked and killed a dozen Palestinian employees transported to the distribution site to assist with the operation. The American organization has also claimed Hamas is offering bounties for those who kill American contractors or Palestinians assisting. The GHF handovers have often devolved into violent affairs with more than 1,000 Gazans reportedly killed since it began operating, the UN noted last week. Israel has been accused of shooting Palestinians seeking aid, while scores have also died as a result of stampedes in the ensuing chaos. Drone footage from today shows @UN aid trucks being ransacked. The people of Gaza are in desperate need of secure, reliable help. Not chaos. We're here to help whenever the UN decides that Palestinians deserve better. In late July, Israel announced it would restart humanitarian air drops into Gaza alongside other Arab nations, including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a practice that was stopped last year after it destroyed property and hit civilians. According to the New York Times , Israel had blockaded food from entering the Strip between March and May, citing concerns that Hamas was pilfering supplies. The extent of Hamas's theft of humanitarian aid remains a hotly contested issue. The New York Times reported that the 'Israeli military never found proof that the Palestinian militant group had systematically stolen aid from the United Nations, the biggest supplier of emergency assistance to Gaza for most of the war,' based on anonymous conversations with several Israeli officials. However, on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video purportedly showing Hamas militants with rifles 'looting an aid truck' while civilians gather around. Images shared by Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Palestinian-American academic and senior fellow with the Atlantic Council, also purport to show Hamas militants stealing aid during an earlier ceasefire. 'Right here before your eyes! But according to NGOs & media, there's still 'no evidence' of theft,' Alkhatib, a vocal critic of Hamas and the Netanyahu government, wrote on X in mid-July. In another post the following day, Alkhatib shared a video alleging Hamas police officers stripped, arrested and beat Palestinians who ventured to the GHF aid distribution site. Hamas's police used pick-ups & donkey carts to steal aid throughout the Gaza war, especially during the ceasefire earlier this year, where hundreds of trucks entered the Strip daily. Right here before your eyes! But according to NGOs & media, there's still "no evidence" of theft. Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our newsletters here .
Ottawa Citizen
2 days ago
- Politics
- Ottawa Citizen
'Hamas's propaganda war': Israel battles famine allegations
Israeli authorities are strongly disputing media reports showing three purportedly starving Gazan children, insisting all have pre-existing medical conditions. Article content The two boys and one girl – five-year-old Osama al-Rakab, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq and 11-month-old Sila Barbakh — have become symbols of Gaza's ongoing food crisis as Israel has come under intense international pressure amid allegations of widespread starvation and throttled humanitarian aid. Article content Article content Article content On Monday, President Donald Trump said there was 'real starvation' unfolding in the Gaza Strip, while hedging his statement by asserting Hamas was 'stealing the food.' The Israeli government has maintained that nearly 1,000 aid trucks full of supplies have remained stuck at the Gaza border due to obstruction from international organizations, including the United Nations, and that the situation is being exploited by Hamas for political gain. Article content Article content 'The reason? The UN refuses to distribute the aid. Hamas and the UN prevent the aid to reach the civilians in Gaza. The world deserves to know the truth.' Article content Article content On the country's official X account on Tuesday, Israel said al-Matouq, whose image has been used in global media coverage about the food crisis in Gaza, 'suffers from cerebral palsy.' Article content 'But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza — playing into the hands of Hamas's propaganda war. Without proper disclosure. Without medical context. Without journalistic ethics.' Article content Unlike his brother standing by his side, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq suffers from cerebral palsy. But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza —… — Israel ישראל (@Israel) July 29, 2025
Edmonton Journal
2 days ago
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
'Hamas's propaganda war': Israel battles famine allegations
Israeli authorities are strongly disputing media reports showing three purportedly starving Gazan children, insisting all have pre-existing medical conditions. Article content The two boys and one girl – five-year-old Osama al-Rakab, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq and 11-month-old Sila Barbakh — have become symbols of Gaza's ongoing food crisis as Israel has come under intense international pressure amid allegations of widespread starvation and throttled humanitarian aid. Article content Article content Article content On Monday, President Donald Trump said there was 'real starvation' unfolding in the Gaza Strip, while hedging his statement by asserting Hamas was 'stealing the food.' The Israeli government has maintained that nearly 1,000 aid trucks full of supplies have remained stuck at the Gaza border due to obstruction from international organizations, including the United Nations, and that the situation is being exploited by Hamas for political gain. Article content Article content 'The reason? The UN refuses to distribute the aid. Hamas and the UN prevent the aid to reach the civilians in Gaza. The world deserves to know the truth.' Article content Article content On the country's official X account on Tuesday, Israel said al-Matouq, whose image has been used in global media coverage about the food crisis in Gaza, 'suffers from cerebral palsy.' Article content 'But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza — playing into the hands of Hamas's propaganda war. Without proper disclosure. Without medical context. Without journalistic ethics.' Article content Unlike his brother standing by his side, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq suffers from cerebral palsy. But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza —… — Israel ישראל (@Israel) July 29, 2025
Courier-Mail
2 days ago
- Health
- Courier-Mail
New York Times issues clarification over viral photo of Gaza boy
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. The New York Times has issued a clarification over a viral photograph published by multiple outlets that has become controversial as critics seized on the health condition of the child pictured. After running the photo on its front page with the headline 'Young, old and sick starve to death in Gaza', the publication confirmed in a statement issued Tuesday that the one-year-old at the centre of the image had been diagnosed with a pre-existing health condition. In the photograph, which shocked the world last week, 18-month-old Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq is being cradled by his mother as he faces away from the camera and his spine visibly protrudes from his back. Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq is being cradled by his mother in the photograph. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty In a post on X, The New York Times said it had added an Editors' Note to its story after learning the boy 'also had pre-existing health problems' post publication. 'We recently ran a story about Gaza's most vulnerable civilians, including Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, who is 18 months old and suffers from severe malnutrition,' the accompanying statement read. 'We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems.' The newspaper, which is the first to release a clarification, said the additional information 'gives readers a greater understanding of his situation'. The clarification came after David Collier, a British London-based independent journalist who lived in Israel for 19 years, shared a series of posts on social media 'exposing the truth' behind the viral image. He claimed a medical report issued in Gaza in May 2025 shows the toddler was born with a serious genetic disorder, suffers from cerebral palsy and has been diagnosed with hypoxaemia – a medical conditional characterised by low oxygen in the blood. He said other images showed the boy with his three-year-old brother and noted 'both mother and brother are healthy and fed'. The World Health Organization has recorded 74 malnutrition-related deaths in the Gaza Strip this year, with 63 occurring in July alone. The deaths include 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. Images of Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq were shared by multiple media outlets last week. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty The photograph was taken in July. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty The photographer, Ahmad al-Arini, told the BBC he took the photo in a bare tent which 'resembled a tomb'. 'I took this photo because I wanted to show the rest of the world the extreme hunger that babies and children are suffering from in the Gaza Strip,' he said. The image, captured in July, was distributed by Turkish state news service, Anadolu Agency and Getty Images. Mr Collier claimed a medical report issued in Gaza in May 2025 shows the toddler suffers from cerebral palsy and hypoxaemia. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty 'Distress': Albanese addresses photo Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke of his emotional response to the distressing picture during question on Monday. 'My question is for the Prime Minister. I have been swamped by electorate people writing to me of their horror of the atrocities occurring in Gaza,'' independent MP Sophie Scamps said. 'France will soon join 147 nations in recognising Palestine as a state and a step towards As we witness the mass starvation and the killing of so many civilians and children in Gaza, when will Australia be prepared to recognise Palestine as a state?' In response, Mr Albanese, who was not asked directly about the photograph, said he too shared 'the distress that people around the world would feel when they look at young Mohammed, 1 year old'. 'He is not a threat to the state of Israel nor is he someone who can be seen to be a fighter for Hamas,'' he said. Anthony Albanese spoke of the toddler during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman 'He's a young child who deserves to be treated appropriately. 'And the position of the Australian government is very clear. That every innocent life matters. 'Every Israeli and every Palestinian. This conflict has stolen far too many innocent lives, tens of thousands of civilians are dead, children are starving.' In parliament, Mr Albanese said Australia was calling upon Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law. 'We have also unequivocally condemned Hamas and said it can play no role whatsoever in the future state of Palestine and hostages must be released immediately,'' he said. 'I make three points about recognition. The first is that my government is committed to a two-state solution. Israel and Palestine. 'That has been a bipartisan position for a long period of time. Australia played a role in the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 and it's something we should be proud of. 'But what was envisaged was two states, not one.' Originally published as New York Times issues 'new information' about viral Gaza photo
Daily Telegraph
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Telegraph
New York Times issues clarification over viral photo of Gaza boy
Don't miss out on the headlines from World. Followed categories will be added to My News. The New York Times has issued a clarification over a viral photograph published by multiple outlets that has become controversial as critics seized on the health condition of the child pictured. After running the photo on its front page with the headline 'Young, old and sick starve to death in Gaza', the publication confirmed in a statement issued Tuesday that the one-year-old at the centre of the image had been diagnosed with a pre-existing health condition. In the photograph, which shocked the world last week, 18-month-old Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq is being cradled by his mother as he faces away from the camera and his spine visibly protrudes from his back. Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq is being cradled by his mother in the photograph. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty In a post on X, The New York Times said it had added an Editors' Note to its story after learning the boy 'also had pre-existing health problems' post publication. 'We recently ran a story about Gaza's most vulnerable civilians, including Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, who is 18 months old and suffers from severe malnutrition,' the accompanying statement read. 'We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems.' The newspaper, which is the first to release a clarification, said the additional information 'gives readers a greater understanding of his situation'. The clarification came after David Collier, a British London-based independent journalist who lived in Israel for 19 years, shared a series of posts on social media 'exposing the truth' behind the viral image. He claimed a medical report issued in Gaza in May 2025 shows the toddler was born with a serious genetic disorder, suffers from cerebral palsy and has been diagnosed with hypoxaemia – a medical conditional characterised by low oxygen in the blood. He said other images showed the boy with his three-year-old brother and noted 'both mother and brother are healthy and fed'. The World Health Organization has recorded 74 malnutrition-related deaths in the Gaza Strip this year, with 63 occurring in July alone. The deaths include 24 children under five, a child over five, and 38 adults. Images of Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq were shared by multiple media outlets last week. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty The photograph was taken in July. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty The photographer, Ahmad al-Arini, told the BBC he took the photo in a bare tent which 'resembled a tomb'. 'I took this photo because I wanted to show the rest of the world the extreme hunger that babies and children are suffering from in the Gaza Strip,' he said. The image, captured in July, was distributed by Turkish state news service, Anadolu Agency and Getty Images. Mr Collier claimed a medical report issued in Gaza in May 2025 shows the toddler suffers from cerebral palsy and hypoxaemia. Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty Picture: Ahmed Jihad Ibrahim Al-arini/Anadolu/Getty 'Distress': Albanese addresses photo Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke of his emotional response to the distressing picture during question on Monday. 'My question is for the Prime Minister. I have been swamped by electorate people writing to me of their horror of the atrocities occurring in Gaza,'' independent MP Sophie Scamps said. 'France will soon join 147 nations in recognising Palestine as a state and a step towards As we witness the mass starvation and the killing of so many civilians and children in Gaza, when will Australia be prepared to recognise Palestine as a state?' In response, Mr Albanese, who was not asked directly about the photograph, said he too shared 'the distress that people around the world would feel when they look at young Mohammed, 1 year old'. 'He is not a threat to the state of Israel nor is he someone who can be seen to be a fighter for Hamas,'' he said. Anthony Albanese spoke of the toddler during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NewsWire/Martin Ollman 'He's a young child who deserves to be treated appropriately. 'And the position of the Australian government is very clear. That every innocent life matters. 'Every Israeli and every Palestinian. This conflict has stolen far too many innocent lives, tens of thousands of civilians are dead, children are starving.' In parliament, Mr Albanese said Australia was calling upon Israel to comply immediately with its obligations under international law. 'We have also unequivocally condemned Hamas and said it can play no role whatsoever in the future state of Palestine and hostages must be released immediately,'' he said. 'I make three points about recognition. The first is that my government is committed to a two-state solution. Israel and Palestine. 'That has been a bipartisan position for a long period of time. Australia played a role in the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 and it's something we should be proud of. 'But what was envisaged was two states, not one.' Originally published as New York Times issues 'new information' about viral Gaza photo
