Israeli army confirms authenticity of image showing Palestinian detainee abused in Gaza

The Israeli army on Thursday confirmed the authenticity of a widely circulated image showing a Palestinian detainee being abused by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports.

The image shows the detainee lying face down, blindfolded and bound with wire, with an iron rod strapped to his back.

The image sparked widespread criticism on social media and renewed calls from human rights advocates for an independent investigation into the treatment of Palestinian detainees in Israeli custody.

The confirmation came in a statement carried by Israel’s Army Radio, which quoted an unnamed military spokesperson after the image circulated widely on social media.

Blindfolded and with his hands tied behind his back, a widely circulated image of a Palestinian detainer from Gaza is being described as a stark depiction of violations against Palestinian prisoners.

The young Palestinian young is seen blindfolded and restrained with plastic… pic.twitter.com/TXmrSAYbI0

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“The army confirms that the footage published on Palestinian networks over the past 24 hours, showing a man from Gaza handcuffed, tied to a bed, blindfolded, and with a rod tied to his back, is real footage that occurred in the Gaza Strip,” the spokesperson said.

Army Radio published the image but provided no details about where or when the incident occurred.

The image renewed attention to the harsh detention conditions and abuse of Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

According to Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups, about 9,500 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, where detainees face torture, starvation, and medical neglect that have resulted in the deaths of dozens of prisoners.

Israel has waged a genocidal war on Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023, killing around 73,000 Palestinians and injuring more than 173,000, according to Palestinian figures, while widespread destruction has affected about 90% of the enclave’s civilian infrastructure.