The Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) on Sunday evening published evidence documenting that a Gazan toddler featured on the front page of the UK’s Daily Mirror suffered from a genetic disease, as opposed to malnutrition, which the newspaper claimed.
The Daily Mirror’s front page alleged that three-year-old Karim Ali Fouad Abu Mu’amar’s malnourished appearance and frail physical condition stemmed from what the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) declared last week to be a famine in the Gaza Strip.
The page featured a photo of the child, along with a headline describing a call from Holocaust survivors to “end aid catastrophe” and “stop starving Gaza’s kids.”
Gazan child suffers from Fanconi syndrome, not malnutrition
According to COGAT, Mu’amar is suffering from a genetic illness called Fanconi syndrome, which could lead to muscle and urinary tract weakness. The rare kidney disorder is hereditary, with COGAT noting that the disease also affected other members of the child’s family.
A report from the European Hospital in Gaza recovered by COGAT shows Mu’amar’s diagnosis as a 10-month-old infant.
“The terrorist organization Hamas continues to spread false narratives as part of a deceptive propaganda campaign,” COGAT said, accusing foreign media outlets of “serving as their platform without any examination or verification.”
Last month it was revealed that a Gazan child with a genetic disorder, whose photo went viral over claims of starvation, had been evacuated from Gaza in June and is receiving care in Italy.
Five-year-old Osama al-Rakab, along with his mother and brother, was evacuated through the Ramon Airport on June 12. “Tragic images rightfully stir strong emotions, but when they’re misused to fuel hatred and lies, they do more harm than good,” COGAT wrote in a statement.
“Don’t let compassion be exploited for propaganda. Check the facts before parroting blame.”