Israeli authorities, through the IDF Coordinator for Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), said documents show that 3-year-old Karim Ali Fouad Abu Mammar, whose image appeared on the front page of Britain’s Daily Mirror over the weekend, suffers from a genetic disorder rather than famine in Gaza as claimed by Hamas.
Medical records from the European Gaza Hospital show that Karim has Fanconi-Bickel syndrome, a hereditary condition affecting muscle strength and kidney and liver function. Other family members have also been diagnosed with the disorder.
The Daily Mirror cover featured Karim with the headline, “Stop starving Gaza’s kids,” accompanied by a plea from Holocaust survivors urging Israel to end what they described as an aid catastrophe. COGAT officials criticized Hamas for using the child’s image as part of a propaganda campaign and said international media outlets circulated the story without verifying the facts.
The documents released by COGAT outline Karim’s diagnosis and treatment including vitamin D and L-carnitine supplementation. They also note developmental delays, episodes of low blood sugar and swelling in his lower limbs.
The case follows a similar report released Aug. 12 by COGAT, which refuted earlier Hamas claims of widespread starvation in Gaza. That report highlighted discrepancies between reported hunger-related deaths and documented cases, showing that many of the alleged victims had pre-existing medical conditions unrelated to food shortages.
COGAT cited cases including 4-year-old Abdullah Hani Mahmad Abu Zarka, previously claimed by Hamas to be starving, who investigators found had a hereditary disorder and had left Gaza months before the war for treatment in Jerusalem. Another example was 27-year-old Karim Khaled Aljamayal, said by Hamas to have died of starvation but who had been paralyzed since childhood from a degenerative muscular disorder.
COGAT officials said releasing Karim Abu Mammar’s medical records aims to clarify the child’s condition and counter what they describe as misleading claims by Hamas. Health experts quoted by Israel maintain that there is no famine in Gaza.