GAZA, (PIC)
What began as a routine outing on the second day of Eid al-Fitr turned into a harrowing ordeal for the Abu Nassar family in Gaza, ending with the disappearance of a father and the return of his infant son bearing what doctors say are signs of torture.
The incident unfolded when Mohammad Abu Nassar received an urgent call informing him that his son Osama was heading east toward the so-called “yellow line”, a zone marked by Israeli forces as a lethal boundary where approaching civilians risk being shot.
Unable to reach his son in time, the father watched helplessly from a distance as witnesses described Osama walking unsteadily toward the area, carrying his infant son, Jawad, on his shoulders, seemingly unaware of the risk surrounding him.
Family members said Osama had been suffering from severe psychological distress in recent weeks, following an Israeli strike two months earlier that killed his horse, his sole source of income, leaving him unable to support his family.
His behavior had grown increasingly erratic, including episodes of destruction and conflict with relatives and neighbors.
Earlier that morning, however, Osama appeared calm and told his mother he was taking his child out to buy sweets. Instead, he veered toward the exposed eastern zone, where gunfire reportedly erupted around him.
According to the family, the shots did not initially hit him or deter him from continuing.
A drone later appeared overhead, broadcasting orders through a loudspeaker.
At that point, Osama, reportedly wounded in the shoulder, stopped, placed his child on the ground, removed his clothes as instructed, and approached Israeli forces, leaving the infant behind. From that moment on, both father and child disappeared from view. Hours later, the family received a call from the International Committee of the Red Cross stating that the child would be returned and that the father had been injured.
The grandfather retrieved Jawad, wrapped in a light covering, noticing blood on his clothes, said to belong to his wounded father.
Once home, the infant’s condition raised the alarm. He cried continuously, and medical examinations revealed injuries to his legs, including bleeding wounds and burns.
Doctors at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, according to the family, concluded that the injuries were not caused by shrapnel or gunfire but appeared to be the result of deliberate abuse.
Medical findings indicated burns consistent with exposure to a lighter or cigarette butts, as well as a deep puncture wound likely caused by a sharp object. The family believes the child may have been subjected to abuse in an attempt to pressure his father, despite Osama’s unstable mental state.
Since his return, Jawad’s condition has deteriorated. He suffers from persistent pain, inability to sleep, severe crying episodes, fever, and repeated vomiting.
His mother remains by his side through the night, trying to ease his suffering with basic care while awaiting improvement.
Meanwhile, Osama’s fate remains unknown.
What began as a simple Eid outing has left the family shattered, a father missing, and a child returned carrying the physical and psychological scars of a day that changed everything. "استخدموا أعقاب السجائر وأداة حادة وضعوها في ساقه وعذبوه بها"..
والدة الطفل كريم أبو نصار (18 شهرًا) تروي تفاصيل ماتعرض له طفلها بالتعذيب خلال احتجازه من قبل الاحـ'تلال شرق المغازي وسط قطاع غـ'زة. pic.twitter.com/LB3DsPkbm3 — فلسطين بوست (@PalpostN) March 23, 2026