Another Gaza child, treated in Israel for genetic illness, used by Hamas as symbol of

The Israeli military agency COGAT (Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories) published a statement Thursday accusing Hamas of using children with genetic illnesses to falsely depict famine in Gaza and blame Israel for the humanitarian crisis.

The post on COGAT’s official English-language X account included documentation about a 14-year-old Gazan boy Abad Qader Al-Fayoumi, whose image was circulated online in recent days.

Abad Qader Al-Fayoumi was treated in Israel for genetic illness,

(Photo: COGAT)

According to the statement, Hamas-affiliated channels claimed Al-Fayoumi’s deteriorating health was caused by hunger. However, Israeli defense officials said records show that Abad was treated in Israel in 2018 for a rare genetic neurological condition—long before the current war began.

“Abad was one of hundreds of Gazan children treated in Israeli hospitals in recent years,” COGAT noted, adding that medical evacuations continued even after the October 7 Hamas attack that led to the destruction of the Erez Crossing.

In recent months, Israel has faced intensifying international pressure over the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Documents showing Al-Fayoumi’s treatment in Israel in 2018

(Photo: COGAT)

Following widespread criticism, the Israeli government approved limited policy changes, including humanitarian aid airdrops, daily tactical pauses and coordination of aid convoys through the Kerem Shalom crossing. Despite these steps, some of the most widely circulated images from Gaza appear to be part of a deliberate effort to reinforce claims of mass starvation.One of the most iconic photos featured 18-month-old Muhammad Al-Matouq wearing a makeshift diaper fashioned from a black trash bag. Taken by journalist Ahmad Al-Arini and published by major outlets including CNN, The New York Times, Sky News, BBC and The Guardian, the image was described as emblematic of Gaza’s suffering. Al-Arini told the BBC the boy had dropped from 9 kilograms to 6 kilograms and had never received proper nutrition.

However, a detailed investigation by British journalist David Collier challenged the portrayal. Collier revealed that Muhammad suffers from several congenital conditions—including cerebral palsy and blood oxygen deficiency—and cited a medical report from Gaza’s Basma Association signed by Dr. Saeed Mohammed Al-Nassan. The report stated the boy was born in December 2023, after the war began and has required nutritional supplements since birth due to chronic illnesses affecting movement and muscle tone.

Collier further noted that Al-Arini’s photo omitted Muhammad’s older brother, who appears healthy in other images and that the mother, Huda, shows no signs of malnutrition. He criticized the BBC for airing an interview that ignored the child’s underlying medical conditions. “The child’s spinal curvature strongly suggests cerebral palsy,” Collier wrote, “but the BBC narrator never addresses it, leading viewers to believe his condition stems solely from famine.”