Israeli Soldiers Reportedly Tortured This 18-Month-Old Palestinian Toddler In Gaza To Force His Father To Confess
The soldiers reportedly burned 18-month-old Jawad with cigarettes and pushed a nail into his leg.
Israeli soldiers allegedly tortured an 18-month-old Palestinian child to force his father to confess to crossing the so-called “yellow line” in Gaza.
The “yellow line” is an Israeli-imposed invisible border cutting the Gaza Strip roughly in half, leaving more than 50% of Gaza under Israel’s control as part of the “ceasefire.”
On March 19, 25-year-old Osama Abu Nassar took his 18-month-old son, Jawad Abu Nassar, out to buy candy for Eid, Middle East Eye reported.
Osama was reportedly not in a good mental condition according to his family, and instead of walking in the right direction, he walked toward the invisible “yellow line,” crossing into the Israel-controlled area with Jawad.
Israeli soldiers then began shooting at them to stop walking further and ordered Osama to strip off his clothes, according to witnesses.
Osama complied with instructions from the Israeli military relayed through speakers and stripped down to his boxers.
He was then told to strip Jawad of his clothes too.
Four soldiers then arrived and ordered Osama to put his son on the ground and walk towards the soldiers.
Both Osama and Jawad were taken for interrogation, when they were allegedly tortured and strip searched.
The soldiers reportedly burned 18-month-old Jawad with cigarettes and pushed a nail into his leg.
Approximately 10 hours later, the Israeli military handed Jawad, wrapped in an aluminium blanket, over to the Red Cross, claiming that he is “walking, talking and happy”.
The child’s grandfather, Muhammed Husni Abu Nassar, said he was told to come to the Maghazi market area to collect him.
“They handed him to us wrapped in an emergency blanket,” Muhammed said. “I opened it and saw blood on his trousers. I asked where it came from.”
Muhammed said a Red Cross representative told him the blood belonged to the child’s father, who had a shoulder injury.
Doctors who examined Jawad later said his wounds were consistent with cigarette burns and there were signs of a sharp object inserted into his body with entry and exit wounds.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed it had received the child from Israeli authorities and reunited him with his family but said it could not comment on his condition due to privacy rules.
Osama is still being detained by the Israeli forces.
Osama’s wife, Wa'ad Hani Mohammad Al-Shafie, said in a sworn affidavit that Osama has been struggling mentally because of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
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