- Israeli forces allegedly tortured an 18-month-old boy in Gaza to coerce his father’s confession
- The child, Karim, was detained with his father near Al-Maghazi camp and showed visible injuries
- Medical reports confirmed burns, puncture wounds, and nail injuries on the toddler’s leg
Israeli forces tortured an 18-month-old boy in central Gaza in an attempt to coerce his father into making confessions, Palestine TV reported.
According to the report, the toddler, identified as Karim, was detained with his father, Osama Abu Nassar, near the Al-Maghazi refugee camp. Footage aired by the broadcaster showed visible injuries on the child's body.
Witnesses told the outlet that Abu Nassar had been emotionally shaken by the recent death of a horse he relied on for his livelihood. While taking his young son to buy supplies, he came under Israeli gunfire close to his home. Soldiers allegedly ordered him to leave the 18-month-old on the ground and walk toward a military checkpoint, where he was stripped and interrogated.
During the interrogation, Israeli forces tortured the child in his father's presence, the report said. A medical assessment confirmed cigarette burns on the boy's leg, puncture wounds, and injuries consistent with a nail being inserted into the limb.
Karim was released roughly ten hours later and returned to his family through the International Committee of the Red Cross in Al-Maghazi. His father, however, remains in Israeli custody.
Relatives have appealed to international organisations to intervene for the father's release, stressing that he urgently needs ongoing medical care.
The Council for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) in a statement, called the incident a "revolting moral outrage that demands immediate action from Congress."
"No child, anywhere in the world, should be subjected to such cruelty, especially with American taxpayer dollars. These actions constitute grave violations of international law and basic human decency," the ICAR said.
"Our nation must end its complicity in these crimes. Congress has a responsibility to ensure that American taxpayer dollars are not used to support the torture or slaughter of more children. Every lawmaker with a conscience must vote to end military aid for the out-of-control Israeli regime," it added.
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf shared the news report of the incident and wrote in a post on X, "Iran is fighting for humanity. The world is either with Gaza and against this colonial terror regime, or it stands with the Epstein class and child torturers. There is no middle ground."
At least 677 Palestinians have lost their lives and a further 1,813 have been wounded in Israeli strikes across Gaza since the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas came into effect in October 2025, according to the health ministry.
The truce brought an end to Israel's two-year military campaign, which claimed the lives of more than 72,000 Palestinians and left over 171,000 others wounded since it began in October 2023 - leaving in its wake the destruction of roughly 90% of the territory's civilian infrastructure.
