Key facts
- An image showing a blindfolded Gaza man in Israeli custody has been circulated.
- Israel has confirmed the image is genuine and stated the treatment depicted is not in line with its military's values.
- Two Palestinian mothers believe their sons are the individuals shown in the image.
- The Israeli military has launched an inquiry into the incident.
- The Palestinian Prisoners Society is seeking legal access to the detained men.
An image circulating on social media depicts a blindfolded Gaza man stripped to his underwear and restrained face down on a cot while in Israeli custody. Israel has confirmed the image's authenticity and acknowledged that the treatment shown "does not align" with its military's values, but has not identified the man or his location. This has caused significant distress to two Palestinian mothers, Rana Abu Nassar and Joudeh Al-Ghoul, who are both convinced the man in the photograph is their own missing son. The image, which appeared on an Instagram post with Hebrew text, shows the man's hands bound behind his back and a wooden rod attached to his body. The Israeli military stated an inquiry is underway and those involved will be held accountable. Abu Nassar recognized her son Osama from the image, noting specific details of his body, and recalled his arrest in March along with his one-year-old child, who family members said had cigarette burn marks on his legs. The military denied abusing the child, attributing the marks to warning shots. Al-Ghoul identified her son Amin, arrested in November 2023, from the image based on his hair and chin. Approximately 1,200 Palestinians from Gaza are currently held in Israel under the Internment of Unlawful Combatants Law. The Palestinian Prisoners Society has submitted the names of both men to the military in an effort to secure lawyer visits.