Israeli army dismisses outcry over stripped Gaza men footage

AFP | Jerusalem                                                       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Israel’s army yesterday dismissed outcry over footage showing scores of stripped Palestinians in Gaza, saying it was part of routine searches, while Hamas insisted the men were “unarmed civilians”.

Footage of the men stripped down to their underwear, with some of them appearing to hand over weapons, was aired by Israeli media on Thursday, reporting the alleged surrender of Hamas militants.

The latest video clips have already circulated and sparked outrage on social media. A preliminary AFP Factcheck review suggested one of the scenes was filmed in Beit Lahia, in the northern Gaza Strip, though geolocating the footage precisely was difficult.

The arm of a soldier appeared in the foreground in one clip, suggesting it was filmed by a member of the military. In another clip, of which AFP was unable to confirm the location, a group of blindfolded men are seen sitting with their hands tied behind their backs as Israeli soldiers watch them.

Hamas on Sunday countered the reported Israeli claims, saying the men were not militants of its armed wing, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades. “The (Israeli) occupation’s claims that they are from al-Qassam Brigades are unfounded lies,” said Izzat alRishq, a senior member of the Hamas political bureau. The Israeli army said it often strips people it deems could pose a threat to ensure they do not carry arms or explosives.