GAZA

An elderly Palestinian woman, who rejected a story by the Israeli army that she was transported to a hospital by ambulance under the auspices of Israeli forces, was found tortured and starved. 

Ummu Muhammad Musmah, who has signs of being shackled when the army arrested her in January, complained that Israeli forces beat and shackled her, contrary to the claim that she was provided medical care.

The elderly woman, who spent several days handcuffed in detention by the army, has been receiving treatment at the European Gaza Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip.

During her detention, Musmah was trying to loosen her chains, in light of the cold weather, but her efforts were in vain.

Musmah, whose face was marked with wrinkles and signs of aging, remained without food throughout her detention.

“I was arrested with many citizens from the Ma’an area in eastern Khan Yunis, and my hands were tied, while the weather was very cold,” Musmah told Anadolu.

About her harsh experience with the Israeli army, she said she tried to untie herself, but it did not help.

"I was left without food, and was beaten during the arrest,” she said.

She does not remember the exact day of her arrest, nor the number of days she was detained, as the period ranged between 11 to 12 days.

On Jan. 26, the Israeli army published a video on X containing pictures of the elderly Palestinian woman, in an ambulance, accompanied by Israeli army forces.

Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed that he released Musmah whom she found alone while Israeli forces were conducting drone reconnaissance in Gaza, after providing medical care to help her.

Tensions have been running high across the West Bank since Israel launched a deadly military offensive against the Gaza Strip following an Oct. 7 Hamas attack.

At least 394 Palestinians have since been killed and 4,400 others injured by Israeli army fire in the occupied territory, according to the Health Ministry.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice for its deadly onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has left more than 28,700 victims dead.

In an interim ruling in January, the Hague-based court ordered Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.

*Writing by Gozde Bayar