FREE PRESS
They Became Symbols for Gazan Starvation. But All 12 Suffer from Other Health Problems.
Olivia Reingold
Tanya Lukyanova
August 18, 2025
…An investigation by The Free Press reveals that at least a dozen other viral images of starvation in Gaza also lacked important context: The subjects of those photos have significant health problems. Those appeared all over social media, in the reports of leading international aid organizations, and on some of the most prestigious news outlets in the United States, including CNN, NPR, and the Times—without disclosing the complicated medical histories that help explain their stark appearances…But those photos have helped convince a growing number of Americans that Israel has induced famine and is committing war crimes in Gaza. In a poll this month from the progressive Data for Progress, nearly half of the likely voters surveyed said that they believe Israel is “committing genocide against the Palestinian people living in Gaza.” READ MORE