Controversy is brewing over video footage showing detained Palestinians who’d been stripped down to their underwear.
News of the stripped-down Palestinians first aired on CNN, where a host called the footage “disgusting.”
“New and disgusting images this morning showing the Israeli military detaining dozens of men in Gaza that are seen stripped down to their underwear. There they are. They’re wearing blindfolds. They are kneeling with their heads down,” the host said.
“A human rights group says they were also severely abused. Family members confirm at least some of those men are civilians. The exact date and circumstances of the detention aren’t clear yet,” the host added.
The host’s remarks prompted a fact-check of sorts from correspondent Ben Wedeman.
Listen:
“Actually, one of the chief spokesmen for the Israeli military did come out with a statement saying that we check who is connected to Hamas and who is not, and we detain and question everybody,” he said, debunking the idea that the Israeli forces had mistakenly detained innocent Palestinian men.
“Although the image is disturbing, it’s not the first time this has happened. Back in 2002, when I was covering Israel’s re-invasion of the West Bank, we saw on multiple occasions that essentially all men, teenagers actually from around 15 to 60 in many towns and villages were just rounded up, corralled into one place, and they were slowly, one by one, taken for questioning. Some were released, some were not,” he added.
The point was that this is standard operation procedure for the Israeli military. That said, Wedeman admitted that it’s true some of the detained men were innocent.
“CNN has been in touch with people who say they recognize relatives there. This one, for instance, said he’s a shopkeeper. He has nothing to do with any of the militant factions. Another apparently is a journalist. And he also his editor protested this,” he said.
“But it does appear that what the Israelis are doing in areas that they control, particularly in northern Gaza, they’re going into these U.N. schools where people have sheltered. They’re just taking all the men of military age and probably a bit younger and a bit older and taking them away for questioning,” he added.
This footage has since gone viral, sparking backlash from pro-Palestinian types who are now accusing Israel — the country that sustained a massive terror attack just two months ago — of committing supposed war crimes.
Look:
This is unquestionably a War Crime. If these are civilians, it’s a War Crime to arrest and disappear them. If they’re militants, it’s a War Crime to publish photos of them, especially half naked. Either way, this is a War Crime Israel is proudly displaying to the world.
— Dave WinX (@dave_winx) December 8, 2023
These are Palestinian civilians not fighters. This is a war crime you are cheering for. Israel is committing a war crime by targeting civilians and parading them naked as captured fighters. This is wrong and you are being used to spread false information.
— ibrahim shsbsh (@EbraShsh) December 7, 2023
Ppl have identified men from the pictures that are not Hamas, once again Israel has provided zero proof that ANY of them are Hamas, and regardless of all that parading prisoners of war naked and blindfolded is a war crime that any other country would face consequences for.
— Mildred (@MildredPierce_) December 8, 2023
This is also a war crime
Israel has entered a refugee camp,of Palestinians, Civilians among them, children journalists,forced them to strip naked, and remain still for hours in the Cold!.
DO SOMETHING NOW!
ISRAEL,DOESN’T UNDERSTAND REASONS!@KarimKhanQChttps://t.co/qLuy9eJ37T pic.twitter.com/uylfmND8g8— Mary (@Candylejas26) December 7, 2023
However, Israel’s defenders have offered up a seemingly very valid reason for why the men were stripped naked: Because of suicide vests.
“They are not naked. When people known to martyr themselves with suicide vests surrender, you have them strip before approaching. They can get dressed again in time for their war crimes trials,” one defender explained.
“People ask why they’re almost naked: it’s usually to prevent worries of suicide vests,” another defender added.
See more responses below:
This is war. They surrendered and were stripped naked to make sure they don’t wear suicide vests.
— Sharon Foreman (@Sharon_Foreman1) December 8, 2023
Detaining people who wear suicide vests almost naked. What a concept!
— AZ Andersons (@az_andersons) December 7, 2023
Not naked.
After few suicide bomber vests.. they realized they need to ask them to take their clothes off down to the underwear. To make sure they won’t explode and kill few more.
They are getting processed and being moved to a different location.
Makes sense if you ask me..— ⬛ (@Pepperona1) December 8, 2023
It should, but apparently goes without saying, that the “stripping” is not to humiliate even the terrorists among them, but to ensure that they aren’t hiding suicide vests or weapons. https://t.co/7mfMaTebsk
— David Bernstein (@ProfDBernstein) December 7, 2023
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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