Photo of bound Gaza detainee leaves two mothers seeking missing sons

A leaked image of a Palestinian detainee bound, blindfolded and stripped to his underwear in Israeli custody has intensified the search by two Gaza mothers for their missing sons, Reuters reported. Israel’s military has said the photo is authentic, but has not named the man or said where he is being held, according to Reuters.

The image shows a man lying face down on a cot with his hands tied behind him, his right foot fastened to the cot and a wooden rod secured along the back of his body from his foot toward his neck, Reuters reported. Reuters said it could not confirm the location or date of the photo, or the man’s identity or condition, but found no earlier online versions before June 30.

Reuters reported that the photo first appeared on Instagram from an account that appears to have been deleted. The image included Hebrew words meaning “good morning,” according to Reuters.

Two women in Gaza, Rana Abu Nassar and Joudeh Al-Ghou, each told Reuters they are certain the detainee is her son. Their claims have left both families pressing for information from Israeli authorities about men they say have been missing in Israeli custody.

Abu Nassar told Reuters she recognized the man as her son, Osama Abu Nassar, because of details of his body, including swelling in a foot and scars on a leg. She said the photo was the first image she had seen of him since his arrest in March near the “Yellow Line,” an area marking Israeli control inside Gaza.

Reuters reported that Osama Abu Nassar was detained on March 19 with his one-year-old child, who was released later the same day. His family said the child had cigarette burn marks on his legs, while Israel’s military denied that its forces abused the boy and said the marks resulted from warning shots fired to stop Osama from approaching the “Yellow Line,” according to Reuters.

Abu Nassar told Reuters that her son has mental health issues and said a person in ordinary circumstances would not take a child into that area, where she said Israeli forces often fire at Palestinians.

Al-Ghou told Reuters from a displaced persons camp in Gaza City that she recognized the man as her son, Ameen Al-Ghoul, from his hair and chin. Reuters reported that Ameen was arrested in November 2023 while trying to travel from southern Gaza to the north of the enclave.

The Israeli military told Reuters it had identified the incident and opened an inquiry. A military spokesperson said those involved would be handled according to the findings and said the treatment visible in the photo did not match the military’s values, Reuters reported.

Reuters reported that about 1,200 Palestinians from Gaza are being held in Israel under the Internment of Unlawful Combatants Law. The law allows Israel to hold people suspected of direct or indirect involvement in hostile acts without a fixed detention limit, according to Reuters.

Amani Sarahneh of the Palestinian Prisoners Society told Reuters the group had submitted both men’s names to the military after the image circulated, seeking lawyer visits. She said such visits happen but are difficult to arrange and require a lengthy coordination process.

This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.