2023-12-27 19:36:04
The war between Hamas and IsraeldossierImages shot by an Israeli photographer show Palestinians, including children, undressed on a soccer field in Gaza. According to the IDF, they were “suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.”
Images shared by several Arab media outlets such as Al-Jazeera or the Palestinian news agency Quds News Network show Israeli soldiers detaining Palestinian men in a stadium in Gaza. The detainees are stripped naked, wearing only boxer shorts, and lined up on the stadium field, sometimes on their knees, while bulldozers and tanks drive around them.
The same photojournalist also uploaded footage of Israeli forces turning a stadium in Gaza into a mass detention camp. The video shows the detention of hundreds of civilians, including women, elders, and babies.
The United Nations and human rights organizations have confirmed… pic.twitter.com/kWve45JYPQ— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) December 25, 2023
Other passages also show men in their underwear holding what appear to be their identity documents above their heads. We also see a person in a wheelchair and at least two children. According to Quds News Network, these photos were taken by an Israeli photographer accompanying the Israeli army. Comments accompanying these images, notably from Quds News Network and l’ONG EuroMed Monitordenounce “mass detention camps” and speak of “summary executions”.
In the case of executions, this is a reference to a press release from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, dated December 20, in which the organization expresses concern “regarding the possibility of a war crime” committed on December 19. The UN reports having “received disturbing reports that the Israeli Defense Forces summarily killed at least eleven unarmed Palestinian men in front of their family members in the Al-Remal neighborhood of Gaza.” A place located, in reality, regarding two kilometers from the stadium. The video, moreover, does not show executions.
Images filmed at the Yamrouk stadium
By performing a reverse image search, CheckNews found the original images published on the YouTube channel of Yosee Gamzoo Letova, an Israeli photographer accompanying the army in Gaza. They were taken in the Yarmouk stadium in Gaza City, as can be seen in the longer version of the video. The balloon designs on the stands confirm that it is indeed this stadium.
In this higher quality version, there are more than a hundred undressed men lined up on the football field. In images, we see a group of women sitting nearby on the lawn. Some hold children in their arms.
Since November 1, Yosee Gamzoo Letova has been involved with the Israeli army and has posted around ten videos showing soldiers, notably those of Battalion 932. His portfolio available on his site indicates that he is neither a war reporter nor a journalist. The photographer seems more specialized in photographs of weddings, family or professional events, individual portraits or even yoga or massage studios.
Filming date unknown
Asked by CheckNews regarding the date and context of these images, Yosee Gamzoo Letova told us that “unfortunately, [il ne peut] not provide any information at this time. We therefore do not know on what date they were filmed.
The Israeli army, also contacted by CheckNews, did not wish to give us a date or tell us the number of people arrested or the number of minors detained undressed. She also did not wish to comment on the role of the photographer and the distribution of these images on the YouTube platform.
Regarding the arrests, she explains that as part of its activities in the combat zone, “individuals suspected of being involved in terrorist activities are detained and questioned. People who are found not to be participating in terrorist activities are released.” The Israeli army adds that “it is often necessary for those suspected of terrorism to remove their clothing so that they can be searched and ensure that they are not concealing explosive vests or other weapons”. She specifies that “detainees have their clothes returned when possible”.
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#images #undressed #Palestinians #stadium #Gaza #Liberation
