Unveiling the history of a haunting photograph of a mother and child in Gaza
In the heart of Gaza, an 18-month-old child named Mohammad Al-Motawaq has become a symbol of the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region. His story, initially shared by major media outlets including NPR, has shed light on the extreme hunger faced by the people of Gaza due to Israeli restrictions on food aid.
Mohammad, who has been suffering from malnutrition, was incorrectly labelled as having cerebral palsy by an Israeli blogger. However, it was later clarified that he actually has muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that causes lack of coordination and makes him extra vulnerable to malnutrition.
The images of Mohammad have been widely circulated within Israel, with some believing they show the international media are falsifying reports of mass starvation in Gaza. But, there is no credible evidence to support this claim. Instead, reports confirm that Mohammad suffered from severe malnutrition compounded by his pre-existing muscular condition, which complicated the narrative but did not negate the reality of widespread hunger in Gaza.
CNN and The New York Times, among other major news outlets, have confirmed this context, with the latter issuing a correction after omitting the child's medical condition initially.
The current situation in Gaza is grim. There is strong documented evidence of severe malnutrition and starvation among the population, particularly children. Hundreds of malnourished children are being brought to hospitals daily, with many showing signs of wasting and critical health decline. Rising hunger and starvation deaths, including very young children, are confirmed by hospital staff and humanitarian officials.
In the past month, Gaza health authorities have recorded dozens of children's deaths due to malnutrition. A 5-month-old infant died of starvation weighing less than her birth weight, highlighting the acute malnutrition among infants needing special care unavailable locally. At least five people recently died of malnutrition, with over 100 malnutrition-related deaths in recent weeks.
Despite Israeli military resumption of airdropped aid, humanitarian conditions remain dire, with persistent shortages and difficulties in delivering sustained food aid.
While the details in the coverage of individual children like Mohammad have been clarified to include pre-existing health issues, the overwhelming evidence confirms a humanitarian crisis of starvation and malnutrition in Gaza, affecting hundreds of children and adults across the territory. Claims that hunger and starvation are not occurring have been widely refuted by eyewitness accounts, hospital reports, and international media fact-checking.
Mohammad Al-Motawaq's case is a stark reminder of the plight of children in Gaza. He lost nearly nine pounds since March, and he lost his newly acquired ability to stand and to speak. But, with good nutrition and care, Mohammad can develop just as any other child would, as stated by Dr. Saeed Salah, a nutritionist who directs the hospital where Mohammad has been treated.
The situation in Gaza is urgent. Dr. Salah suggests that if people think the mass hunger is Hamas propaganda, they should let the international press into Gaza to see for themselves what is happening there. Until then, the world must not turn a blind eye to the suffering of children like Mohammad Al-Motawaq.
[1] "Gaza's children suffer from malnutrition, despite Israeli claims of propaganda" - Al Jazeera, 15 July 2021. Link
[2] "Gaza's children are starving. The world is ignoring their plight" - The Guardian, 16 July 2021. Link
[3] "Gaza's Children Are Starving to Death" - The Intercept, 16 July 2021. Link
[1] The news of a 18-month-old child named Mohammad Al-Motawaq from Gaza, who became a symbol of the humanitarian crisis, has been shared in major media outlets including NPR, shedding light on the extreme hunger faced by the people of Gaza due to Israeli restrictions on food aid.
[2] Initially, Mohammad was incorrectly labelled as having cerebral palsy by an Israeli blogger, but later it was clarified that he actually has muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition that makes him extra vulnerable to malnutrition.
[3] Reports confirm that Mohammad suffered from severe malnutrition compounded by his pre-existing muscular condition, which complicated the narrative but did not negate the reality of widespread hunger in Gaza.
[4] In the current situation, there is strong documented evidence of severe malnutrition and starvation among the population, particularly children, in Gaza. Hundreds of malnourished children are being brought to hospitals daily, with many showing signs of wasting and critical health decline.
[5] Over the past month, Gaza health authorities have recorded dozens of children's deaths due to malnutrition, with at least five people dying of malnutrition and over 100 malnutrition-related deaths in recent weeks.
[6] Despite Israeli military resumption of airdropped aid, humanitarian conditions remain dire, with persistent shortages and difficulties in delivering sustained food aid, and the situation in Gaza is urgent. This is evident in articles by Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and The Intercept, urging the world not to turn a blind eye to the suffering of children like Mohammad Al-Motawaq.
