A disturbing image of a tortured prisoner intensifies the pain of two mothers, both of whom are certain that the man is their missing son.
Author: Reuters
A leaked photo depicting a blindfolded Palestinian prisoner stripped to his underwear and heavily bound has caused anguish for two Gaza mothers.
Although the Israeli army acknowledged that the photo was real, it did not identify the man or disclose where he was being held.
This only added to the maternal anguish of Rana Abu Nassar and Joudeh Al-Ghoul, both of whom are absolutely certain that the abused man is their own missing son.
The photo was originally posted on Instagram by a user whose account has since been deleted. The image included the caption "good morning" in Hebrew.
In the screenshot, which is captioned with the words „good morning” in Hebrew, the man’s hands are tied behind his back, his right foot is tied to the bottom corner of a camp bed. A wooden pole is tied to his body, extending from his right foot to his neck. His face is largely covered.
The Israeli military said it had identified the incident and launched an investigation. A spokesman told Reuters that „those involved will be dealt with in accordance with the results of the investigation,” adding that the treatment shown in the photo was „incompatible” with the army’s values.
Abu Nassar said the moment he saw the picture two days ago, he knew it was his son, Osama.
„"I know every detail of his body. His foot is swollen and there are scars on his leg - the same swelling on his left leg that I saw in the picture," he told Reuters.
He said it was the first picture he had seen of him since he was arrested in March in an area near the so-called „Yellow Line,” which marks Israeli control inside Gaza.
Her arrest on March 19 attracted international attention as she was detained with her one-year-old child, who was released the same day, reportedly with cigarette burns on her leg.
His mother said Osama suffers from mental problems and that a „normal person would not take their son to that area” near the „Yellow Line,” where Israeli forces often open fire on Palestinians.
The Israeli military has rejected claims that its forces abused Osama's son, saying that the marks on the boy's feet were the result of warning shots fired by soldiers to force Osama away from the "Yellow Line.".
Joudeh Al-Ghoul, whose son Ameen was arrested in November 2023 while trying to travel from southern Gaza to the northern part of the strip, also said he immediately recognized the man in the photo as soon as he saw him.
„He is it – his hair and his chin. He is my son. A mother’s heart recognizes her son. I hugged the mobile phone and started crying,” she told Reuters from a Gaza City refugee camp. „He is my son, my soul, my life.”
The families' plight highlights a broader crisis facing Palestinians in Israeli captivity. Some 1,200 Palestinians from Gaza are currently being held in Israel under the "Unlawful Combatants Internment Law.".
The controversial law allows for the indefinite detention of individuals suspected of directly or indirectly participating in hostile acts.
Amani Sarahneh, of the Palestinian Prisoners' Association, said that since the image was released, the organization has submitted the names of both men to the army to arrange for them to see lawyers.
„"The visits are happening, but very cumbersome. The coordination process takes a very long time," Sarahneh said.
