Last Updated on October 10, 2023
A press contact with the Israeli Defense Forces reportedly told the Turkish news agency Anadolu that the Israeli military has no evidence confirming viral reports that Hamas radicals beheaded babies during their deadly, unprecedented attacks inside Israel.
Though claims that Hamas fighters beheaded dozens of Israeli babies have gone viral on social media and have been taken up by government and media figures worldwide, particularly in the United States, Turkish publication Anadolu reports that “the Israeli army has no information confirming allegations that ‘Hamas beheaded babies’.”
When the publication “contacted the Israeli army spokesperson unit over the phone and asked about the allegations,” a spokesperson said, “We have seen the news, but we do not have any details or confirmation about that.”
Rumors that Hamas beheaded Israeli babies come after the Palestinian militants raided Israeli settlements and even a rave, killing civilians and taking hostages. The rumors also come as both sides are trading large-scale strikes with a massive effect on civilian populations.
Related: Israel Ignored Intel Warnings that Predicted Hamas Attack
As of Tuesday afternoon East Coast time, more than 1,300 people have been confirmed dead, with Israel having lost an estimated 800 people, including a large proportion of civilians, and the Palestinians having lost an estimated 500.
The latter figure though is almost certain to rise, as Israel carries out massive air strikes against the Gaza Strip, where Hamas militants operate among an extremely dense population of civilians.
As reported by National File, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has announced a “complete siege” of the Hamas-dominated Gaza Strip, cutting off food, water, fuel, and electricity to the region that’s home to an estimated 2 million Palestinians.
“I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip,” Gallant announced on Monday. “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”
