by Fact Check: Israeli Soldiers Tortured 18 Month Old Baby in Gaza
Report and interview by: Gaza-based Palestinian journalist Osama Al-Kahlout
Allegation: Israeli soldiers tortured a 18 month old baby in Gaza to extract a confession from the father. They extinguished cigarettes on the baby’s body and drove a nail into its leg.
Photos to Support The Allegation:
While these images are being shared with the claim that the injuries were caused by torture (specifically cigarette burns and nails), it is important to note that fact-checkers and medical experts who have reviewed these specific viral images have identified a different likely cause.
The lesions shown are highly characteristic of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, a parasitic skin infection transmitted by the bite of sandflies. This condition is currently endemic and spreading rapidly in Gaza due to the collapse of waste management, lack of pesticides, and poor sanitary conditions resulting from the ongoing conflict, critical problems which are direct results of Israeli aggression in Gaza.
