'Hamas's propaganda war': Israel battles famine allegations

The Israeli government criticized news outlets for running a photo of an emaciated Palestinian boy in stories about starvation in Gaza despite him suffering ‘from cerebral palsy’

Israeli authorities are strongly disputing media reports showing three purportedly starving Gazan children, insisting all have pre-existing medical conditions.

The two boys and one girl – five-year-old Osama al-Rakab, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq and 11-month-old Sila Barbakh — have become symbols of Gaza’s ongoing food crisis as Israel has come under intense international pressure amid allegations of widespread starvation and throttled humanitarian aid.

On Monday, President Donald Trump said there was “real starvation” unfolding in the Gaza Strip, while hedging his statement by asserting Hamas was “stealing the food.” The Israeli government has maintained that nearly 1,000 aid trucks full of supplies have remained stuck at the Gaza border due to obstruction from international organizations, including the United Nations, and that the situation is being exploited by Hamas for political gain.

Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.

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