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French model arrested for mocking report of baby burned by Hamas terrorists
Warda Anwar probed for ‘glorifying terrorism’ after asking if corpse was seasoned and ‘What was the side dish?’; Israeli embassy calls remark ‘disgusting’
PARIS, France — A social media influencer was arrested in France on Thursday for making light of the reported killing of an Israel baby by Hamas terrorists, prosecutors told AFP.
In a video, the woman — identified by media as Warda Anwar, a model — commented on remarks by an Israeli first responder who said Hamas gunmen had burned a baby alive in an oven during their assault on October 7.
The report has not been confirmed by Israeli authorities. Eli Beer of United Hatzalah, who first reported the incident, has since said he heard it secondhand. However, there is no dispute that terrorists burned some of their victims, including children and babies.
“I wonder whether they added salt and pepper first, did they add thyme?” Anwar said in the video. “What was the side dish?”
Following strong reactions on social media to the video last week, France’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said Friday he had filed a criminal complaint against Anwar.
Prosecutors said she was being investigated for “glorifying terrorism” and was taken into custody in Paris early Thursday. The Israeli embassy in France called Anwar’s remarks “disgusting.”
Posting on X, formerly Twitter, the embassy said “the unspeakable remarks must not remain unpunished,” and called for her social media accounts to be blocked. French media say her video was carried on Instagram, but her account was not available Thursday.
Social media has been awash with skepticism and even outright denial of atrocities committed by terrorists who rampaged through Israel’s southern communities, despite the overwhelming evidence of the brutal onslaught.
Some 3,000 gunmen breached the Gaza border on October 7 and slaughtered 1,400 people — mainly civilians, many entire families — as they swept through communities in southern Israel, including at the Supernova rave outside Kibbutz Re’im that saw hundreds of partygoers mowed down by gunmen.
The terrorists also abducted over 240 people to the Strip, including at least 30 children.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
