Viral photo of 'starving' child in Gaza is misleading
Opinion: Trump is racking up GOP wins no one else could. What do Never Trumpers say now?
"We can save a lot of people," Trump said July 28, while meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Scotland. "I mean, some of those kids are - that's real starvation stuff. I see it, and you can't fake it."
But what if you can?
New York Times does damage control after misleading image
The photograph of one mother and child in particular has created a firestorm.
The New York Times published a lengthy report online about alleged starvation in Gaza on July 24, featuring 18-month-old Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq. Photos show a child in distress, with his bones painfully visible. His mother tries to comfort him.
The Times then ran the story on its print front page July 25, with the photo of the child and his mother as the leading image. The caption says the child was "born healthy" but is suffering from "severe malnutrition."
Yet, it turned out there was more to the story.
Five days after the story was published, on July 29, The Times issued an editor's note (buried at the bottom of the article) as well as a brief statement on its communications social media page that offered readers much-needed context.
The note "clarifies" that the child suffers from serious "pre-existing health problems."
"We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems," a Times spokesperson said in the statement. "This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation."
That's putting it mildly.
Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store.
The Times certainly wasn't alone in running images of Mohammed. Others, including CNN, did as well.
After all, a picture paints a thousand words. And these photos went viral, making Mohammed the face of starving children across Gaza.
It also buoyed the narrative pushed by the media and progressives that Israel is at fault for blocking aid from flowing to the Palestinians in need.
Opinion: Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad triggers liberals. She looks good. They don't.
Too many journalists have abandoned truth for advocacy
But thanks to the reporting of independent journalists and pushback from Israel officials, the truth has come out.
The state of Israel posted on social media another photograph of the mother and child, which features the child's older brother, who appears healthy. The contrast makes it clear that there's much more contributing to Mohammed's condition than lack of food.
"BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza - playing into the hands of Hamas's propaganda war," the post states.
Share your opinion: Are you concerned about starvation in Gaza? Should US do more to help? Tell us. | Opinion Forum
Americans deserve the full story. For instance, David Makovsky, director of the program on Arab-Israel Relations at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, recently pointed out on X that a United Nations report shows that "87% of its 2,010 food trucks in Gaza (85% by tonnage) from May 19-July 29 were 'intercepted' - either peacefully by crowds or forcefully by armed actors."
In other words, Hamas is intercepting food meant for civilians. That's worth reporting.
Trump is right to feel empathy for the innocent civilians in Gaza, especially the children. But it's Hamas who deserves the blame for their plight - not Israel.
As Trump noted in a July 31 Truth Social post, "The fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!"
The truth is that Hamas is using the suffering of those who live under its grip to try to achieve its aims.
That's the real tragedy.
Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. Contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Statesman
14 minutes ago
- New Statesman
Kemi Badenoch's position on Israel is discrediting the Conservative Party
Photo byandWhen Kemi Badenoch became leader of the Conservative Party, she very sensibly aimed not to rush into early statements of detailed policy. Unfortunately, her appointment of Priti Patel as shadow foreign secretary was its own statement. Following her unauthorised 2017 trip to Israel while secretary for international development, Patel has been a disgraced figure. While there, accompanied by the peer Stuart Polak of the Conservative Friends of Israel, she met the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu without UK government officials or the British ambassador. Afterwards, she advocated a change in UK policy which, in breach of long-established humanitarian practice, would have included the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in its aid delivery. This episode could not have been a starker example of impropriety. It merited her dismissal but Theresa May was too weak to wield the axe. Instead, Patel was allowed to resign. And yet, Badenoch saw fit to appoint her to the shadow cabinet. Patel is now in a position to perpetuate her views at a critical moment in world events. Badenoch has shown no indication of knowing anything about Israel and Palestine, and has not made any profound statements on this, the one foreign issue, other than Ukraine, that has dominated global news since she was elected. All she utters is uncritical support for Israel. The Conservative Party used to have a world-view. It supported enlightened international cooperation, and institutions such as the UN along with its accompanying treaties, rules and conventions. More broadly, it was the UK that pledged to support a homeland for the Jewish people, and a future for the Palestinians next door. To their shame, while successive governments have forever delayed implementing that commitment, the Israelis each and every day have violently stolen ever more Palestinian land. Palestine is the only populous legally undisputed land in the world not allowed to call itself a state. It does not belong to Israel, and Israel's determination to annex it does not mean it is disputed. The illegality of Israeli encroachment is cast-iron in international law, a belief that has been the policy of Conservative and Labour governments for decades. Badenoch, however, seems to share the view of those like Patel who do not believe in their own policy. They can never bring themselves to say explicitly that settlements are illegal. The charge sheet against Israel is growing every day: disproportionate force, indiscriminate bombing, mass displacement, food deprivation, the replacement of the Palestinian relief agency UNRWA with mercenaries, the killing of tens of Palestinians each day as they desperately scramble for food, state-backed support for settler terrorists, and the banning of journalists from Gaza. Badenoch and her front bench have done nothing to condemn any of it. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe [See also: Jonathan Sumption on Israel and Gaza: A question of intent] Amid all this, Priti Patel has refused in the Commons to condemn settler violence – all she would say was that settlers are a barrier to a two-state solution. And when extremist Israeli ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir were sanctioned in June, she declined in her response even to mention their names. The likes of Suella Braverman, meanwhile, have branded pro-Palestine demonstrations 'hate marches'. Contemptibly, any pro-Palestinian voice within the Conservative Party is almost systematically accused of anti-Semitism and put into its complaints procedure, which silences and bullies. And as Michael Gove increases his hold on appointments to the leader's office, what could be more warped than his recent recommendation that the IDF be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize? It has now reached the point where Conservative comment has become so extreme it has discredited their entire foreign policy and is making them despised more widely. The party is increasingly becoming defined by its lack of humanity. The world is watching the extermination of an entire country. Palestine is being annihilated. Meanwhile the Conservative Party is covering itself in shame, and will stand no chance of re-election unless it states a clear policy based on international law, and promotes the UK's historic understanding of the region. This issue is and always has been about land. Israel's extremist government has only one objective, and that is to make all of Palestine theirs. All other talk, horrendous though the facts may be, is second to that. As leader, Kemi Badenoch could redeem herself speedily by stating loudly what all should be saying to Israel: 'Get out of Palestine, it isn't your country.' [See also: Keir Starmer alienates left and right on Gaza] Related
Daily Mail
14 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Why the firing of Bureau of Labor Statistics boss is bad news for your money
President Trump's sudden firing of the nation's top labor data official may seem like political drama — but experts warn it could have very real consequences for your wallet. The president ousted Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Commissioner Dr. Erika McEntarfer on Friday, just hours after the release of weak jobs figures. Trump believes the federal agency had previously manipulated figures to appear worse than they really were. The president accused McEntarfer of 'faking' jobs numbers in a blistering post to Truth Social that did not provide evidence to support the accusations. The sacking undermines confidence that independent agencies are putting out accurate data, a fact that could have damaging effects on trillions of dollar of assets including 401(k)s. Despite the potential severity of the situation financial markets did not appear to react much to the firing of McEntarfer, who was appointed to the role by former President Joe Biden. Damaging the BLS's reputation could mean markets don't trust the economic data it puts out, which affects how they price assets and therefore the overall direction of stock indices. As well as the political firing of McEntarfar the BLS has raised alarm bells over its collection of recent inflation data. Due to staff shortages the agency stopped collecting figures from certain cities and began to estimate more prices rather than checking them directly with sold goods or services, the Wall Street Journal reported. If investors believe this data is being tampered with politically or is simply not trustworthy it could reduce the allure of the $2 trillion Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) market. The return on these Treasury bonds are largely determined by BLS reports. Further to this investors who own other types of bonds and mortgage securities look to the TIPS market to determine their own rates of return versus inflation. If inflation data is less trustworthy it could also cause dissent from the tens of millions of Americans who receive Social Security checks that are linked to inflation. It could be the same case for millions of state and local retiree pension benefits. Taxpayers could also sound the alarm if their exemptions, tax brackets, retirement-account contribution limits and deductions that are linked to the rising cost of living could be effected by untrusted data. McEntarfar's firing comes after months of threats from Trump against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for not lowering interest rates fast enough. Firing Powell before his term ends in May 2026 would likely cause a rout in financial markets who insist the independence of the Fed is critical for stability. Trump has targeted Fed Chair Jerome Powell claiming he is 'too late' on lowering interest rates A new Fed chair seen as under Trump's influence would also concern Wall Street. 'Whomever is appointed, the key thing to monitor is whether they are perceived as being a political appointee,' Eric Winograd, chief U.S. economist at Alliance Bernstein told Reuters. 'And by that, I mean someone whose views change with the whims of the president.' Even if Trump does not fire Powell appointing a shadow chair could blur the Fed's message and direction. Markets respond not just to official Fed decisions, but also to hints about future moves — meaning mixed signals could cause turmoil.
Sky News
23 minutes ago
- Sky News
No 10 declines to say if Palestine will be recognised with Hamas in power
The prime minister's spokesman has refused eight times to confirm whether recognition of Palestine could go ahead if Hamas remain in power and the hostages are not released. Keir Starmer's spokesman was questioned by journalists for the first time since the announcement last week that the UK will formally recognise the state in September - unless Israel meets certain conditions including abiding by a ceasefire and increasing aid. The policy has been criticised by the families of UK hostages, campaigners and some Labour MPs, who argue it would reward Hamas and say it should be conditional on the release of the remaining hostages. A senior Hamas politician, Ghazi Hamad, speaking to Al Jazeera, said at the weekend that major nations' decision to recognise a Palestinian state "is one of the fruits of 7 October". The PM's spokesman said on Monday: "The PM is clear that on 7 October, Hamas committed the worst act of terror in Israel's history. That horror has continued since then. "As the foreign secretary said over the weekend, Hamas are rightly pariahs who can have no role in Gaza's future, there is a diplomatic consensus on that. Hamas must immediately release all hostages and have no role in the governance of Gaza." But asked whether removing Hamas from power and releasing hostages were conditions for statehood, he said a decision on recognition would be made at the UN General Assembly meeting in September, based on "an assessment of how far the parties have met the steps we have set out. No one side will have veto on recognition through their actions or inactions." 2:25 He added: "Our focus is on the immediate situation on the ground, getting more aid in to end the suffering in Gaza and supporting a ceasefire and a long-term peace for Israelis and Palestinians based a two-state solution." Starmer, who recalled his cabinet for an emergency meeting last week before setting out the new position, is following the lead of French president Emmanuel Macron, who first pledged to move toward recognising Palestinian statehood in April. Canada has also backed recognition if conditions are met, including by the Palestinian Authority. The prime minister had previously said he would recognise a state of Palestine as part of a contribution to a peace process. 3:05 In his announcement last Tuesday, he said: "We need to see at least 500 trucks entering Gaza every day. But ultimately, the only way to bring this humanitarian crisis to an end is through a long-term settlement. "So we are supporting the US, Egyptian and Qatari efforts to secure a vital ceasefire. That ceasefire must be sustainable and it must lead to a wider peace plan, which we are developing with our international partners. "I've always said we will recognise a Palestinian state as a contribution to a proper peace process, at the moment of maximum impact for the two-state solution. With that solution now under threat, this is the moment to act." Adam Rose, a lawyer acting for British families of hostages in Gaza, has said: "Why would Hamas agree to a ceasefire if it knew that to do so would make British recognition of Palestine less likely?"
