Anita Ogona
The photo shows a large crowd of more than 200 people, crouching low amid the rubble of Jabalya in northern Gaza. Mostly men, many are almost naked, some are elderly, some visibly wounded. There’s at least one child among them. They were detained and most ordered to strip by the Israeli military as they tried to flee their homes in Jabalya refugee camp, then held for hours outdoors in the cold, witnesses told CNN.
Their tired faces give a glimpse into their misery. The men at the front are anxiously staring straight ahead, while those toward the back stretch their necks to see what is going on. The photo, taken in Jabalya on Friday, shows residents of the refugee camp who tried to leave the area after being forced by the Israeli military to evacuate amid its ongoing ground operation there. The photo was first shared on an Israeli Telegram channel; while it is unclear who took it, several of the men in the picture told CNN Israeli soldiers were photographing them as they were being detained.
CNN has identified and spoken to five individuals seen in the photograph. One of them, Muhannad Khalaf, said he, his wife and their infant son were trying to escape the camp using a designated safe corridor when the Israeli military stopped them. “We were all gathered in one place – men, women, children, and the elderly. This was at 11 a.m. After five hours, at 4 p.m., they asked the women and children to move forward and carry all (of our) bags and belongings,” he told CNN over the phone, adding the women and children were allowed to leave. “Once they left, the men were instructed to remove their clothes and stay in just their underwear. We complied. We sat in the cold for several more hours and the weather was frigid. They were insulting us during that time, calling us names, laughing and taking pictures,” the 27-year old told CNN.
“Some individuals were selected for detention while others were released. Most of us ended up in Gaza City. The situation was terrifying and deeply saddening as we witnessed elderly men and injured individuals in distress, with no one showing them compassion or mercy.”
Jouri’s father Mohamad Abu Ward told CNN he was forced to strip to his underwear and was held for eight hours alongside Jouri. He said the girl was not required to remove her clothes but was unable to leave the area because she was alone with him. No food or water available to them. His wife and other children left the area earlier in the morning and were able to make it to Gaza City, he said.
The IDF encircled Jabalya and launched a new ground operation there more than three weeks ago, cutting off most supplies and forcing people to leave amid heavy fighting. The IDF said it saw signs of Hamas rebuilding in the area, despite a year of heavy bombardment and two previous ground operations which the IDF had claimed were successful.
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