Controversial Video Raises Concerns: Children Detained alongside Palestinian Men by IDF in Gaza Stadium
Disturbing footage emerged on social media depicting a shocking incident in northern Gaza where Palestinian men, including children, were seemingly detained and forcibly stripped by the IDF The video raises serious concerns about human rights violations in the region
A circulating video on social media seems to depict Palestinian men and two children being detained and stripped by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a northern Gaza stadium.
In the video, there are clips of what seem to be two young boys, stripped down to their underwear, walking with their hands up as the IDF directs them in the stadium.
The video shows two figures that seem to be young boys standing with their hands above their heads, along with other males who appear to be teens and adults, all lined up in single file. The exact date of the video is unverified by CNN, but a geolocation indicates that it was filmed in Yarmouk Stadium in Gaza City, where the NGO Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor has received reports of detentions.
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CNN contacted the IDF late Tuesday night to request comment on the video and the detained children, but has not received a response yet. Israeli forces have detained hundreds of Palestinian men and boys in recent weeks, with the IDF stating in the past that detainees were stripped to check for explosives.
The video depicts men stripped down to their underwear, some with hands tied behind their backs, blindfolded, and standing in lines as soldiers oversee them. Women and children are also shown detained, with one scene showing three women blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs seated in front of a soccer goal, which has an Israeli flag hanging on it.
The video shows Palestinian men sitting alongside women, stripped, blindfolded, and with their hands tied behind their backs. Additionally, military vehicles and bulldozers are visible throughout the stadium.
The original video was uploaded on December 24 to YouTube by Yosee Gamzoo Letova, a photographer and artist, according to his Facebook profile.
A still from a video appears to show Palestinian men and at least two children detained and stripped by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in a stadium in northern Gaza.
Yosee Gamzoo Letova
In the stadium, a striking image captures Palestinian women and men, blindfolded and with their hands tied behind their backs, sitting on the grass in front of a soccer goal.
Yosee Gamzoo Letova
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor reports that the Israeli army has detained hundreds of Palestinians from the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood of Gaza City, including numerous women who have been brought to Yarmouk Stadium.
Palestinian males, some as young as 10 and as old as 70, were stripped down to their underwear and made to line up in a degrading manner in front of detained women at the same stadium, according to a statement from a human rights organization. The organization is urging the international community to investigate the conditions of detention.
The Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health in Gaza reported that at least 20,915 people have died since the war with Israel began on October 7. The ministry also stated that nearly 55,000 more people have been injured. CNN is unable to independently verify the numbers provided by the ministry due to limited access to the enclave and difficulty in confirming reliable figures during the ongoing conflict.
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Hamas will not resume talks with Israel until all aggression stops, said Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of the group's political bureau. "Hamas seeks a permanent end to the aggression and massacres against our people," Al-Rishq stated.
Israel has made a commitment to maintain its blockade, which has involved extensive aerial bombardment and a long-term ground invasion, until Hamas is eliminated. Herzi Halevi, the IDF chief of general staff, announced on Tuesday that the operation would persist for "several more months."
"We are operating in a challenging environment. Consequently, the conflict will endure for many more months, and we will employ diverse strategies to ensure that our objectives are sustained over time," Halevi stated during a press briefing.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
