A 21 month old Palestinian child has been returned to his family in central Gaza after being detained for around ten hours by Israeli forces, with doctors reporting injuries consistent with burns and physical abuse.
Jawad Abu Nassar was taken along with his father, Osama Abu Nassar, on 19 March near the Maghazi refugee camp. According to relatives, Osama had left home that morning with his son to buy sweets ahead of Eid al Fitr. He never came back.
Family members say neighbours noticed Osama walking towards a militarised boundary area east of the camp, a zone where Israeli forces are stationed and civilians risk being shot if they approach. Witnesses reported that soldiers fired around him but did not hit him.
According to the child’s grandfather, Muhammed Husni Abu Nassar, an Israeli drone approached as Osama neared the area. He was then seen placing his child on the ground, walking towards soldiers and removing his clothes while remaining calm and unarmed. Both father and son were subsequently detained.
Hours later, the International Committee of the Red Cross contacted the family to say the child had been released. He was handed back to relatives in central Gaza, wrapped in an emergency blanket. Blood was visible on his clothing, which aid workers said came from an injury to his father.
The Red Cross confirmed it had facilitated the child’s return but declined to comment on his condition.
When the toddler was reunited with his family, they said he was unable to explain what had happened, repeatedly saying the word “blood” and becoming distressed when held. His mother later discovered multiple injuries on his body, including wounds behind his knees and a deep puncture wound in his leg.
Doctors who examined the child the following day reported that the injuries were not caused by shrapnel or crossfire. Medical assessments described swelling around the knees and marks consistent with burns, including injuries believed to resemble cigarette burns.
Photographs reviewed by medical staff showed a wound consistent with a sharp object passing through the child’s calf, as well as circular burn marks.
Since returning home, the child has reportedly suffered ongoing symptoms including fever, vomiting and severe distress. Family members say he remains highly traumatised and refuses to be separated from his mother.
The Israeli military has denied the allegations. In a statement, a spokesperson said claims that soldiers had abused the child were false and described them as propaganda. The military alleged instead that the child had been brought into a dangerous area by a Hamas operative and stated that Israeli troops ensured his safety, provided medical care and transferred him to the Red Cross as quickly as possible.
The child’s father has not been returned, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
Since the ceasefire arrangements introduced in October, Palestinians living near militarised boundary zones in Gaza have continued to face shootings, detentions and reported mistreatment. Former detainees have described experiencing abuse while in Israeli custody, according to multiple testimonies from the area.