From the Liveblog of
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Israeli official pans Daily Mirror for front-page photo of ‘starving’ Gaza child with genetic disorder
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleStav Levaton is a military reporter for The Times of Israel
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oren Marmorstein criticizes The Daily Mirror after the British outlet ran a front-page photo yesterday of a seemingly emaciated child under the headline, “Stop Starving Gaza’s Kids.”
Saturday's front page: stop starving Gaza kids#TomorrowsPapersTodayhttps://t.co/zz83wtSZbO pic.twitter.com/8gnn40fFyt
— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) August 22, 2025
In a post on X, Marmorstein accuses the paper of spreading Hamas propaganda, noting that the image was flagged by X users with a community note. The note clarifies that the child, Kareem Muammar, suffers from Fanconi syndrome, “a rare genetic disorder that affects the liver, kidneys, and intestines” and harms nutrient absorption, and that the paper had concealed this context from its readers.
“@DailyMirror stop spreading Hamas propaganda!” Marmorstein writes.
Marmorstein’s post does not address wider allegations of food shortages and hunger across the Gaza Strip.
In recent weeks, similar cases have surfaced in which images of Gazan children with chronic illnesses appeared to show severe malnutrition. While their pre-existing conditions may explain their emaciated appearances, experts caution that food shortages can worsen underlying illnesses and hasten decline.
The Times of Israel Community.