Images circulating on social media from Palestine have displayed a distressing scene in Gaza: Palestinian men, stripped down to their underwear, were captured in stark vulnerability.
The photos depicted more than 20 individuals kneeling on the pavement, heads bowed, while others were crammed into a nearby truck, both scenes under the watchful presence of Israeli soldiers.
Among the discarded shoes and sandals strewn across the road, the semi-naked men appeared surrounded and exposed.
Israeli television aired footage claiming these men were captured Hamas fighters discovered in Gaza City.
The location, said to be in areas considered strongholds for Hamas – Jabalia and Shejaiya – raised questions and drew attention to the situation’s complexity.
Israeli government spokesperson Eylon Levy underscored that these were military-age men found in regions where civilians had been advised to evacuate weeks ago.
Amidst this troubling portrayal, some Palestinians recognized familiar faces in the images shared on social media.
They vehemently denied any affiliations with Hamas or any other militant factions, sparking deeper controversy and prompting urgent calls for clarification and intervention from international human rights organizations.