Torture of Infant Jawad: A Sadistic and Racist System Without Limits

Abdullah Al-Zaghari: The torture operations that affected thousands of detainees, especially children, reveal the absence of any limits to the level of savagery and killing practiced by the occupation. Amin Shoman: What happened to infant Jawad and his father reflects the failure of all international institutions to protect Palestinian children, which requires the intervention of human rights organizations. Khaled Qazmar: The crime transcended the context of war and genocide, during which killing and destruction are practiced, to reach the level of "enjoying torturing a child of this age." Issam Baker: What infant Abu Nassar was subjected to constitutes a shock that highlights the extent of the occupation army's sadism within an ideological vision that considers Palestinians outside the circle of humanity. Wissam Sahwil: The torture of infant Jawad Abu Nassar is consistent with the definition of Article One of the Convention Against Torture and was a means to break his father's morale and intimidate him. Muhammad Al-Taj: The goal of this violence is to break the Palestinian human being, and when an infant is tortured, the question is not only about what happened to him, but about what happened to humanity as a whole. Ramallah – Exclusive to "Al-Quds" – The incident of torturing infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar from Al-Maghazi camp in Gaza, who is less than two years old, reveals an unprecedented level of violations committed against him after he and his father were detained by the Israeli occupation forces. Human rights activists, specialists, and officials, in separate interviews with "Al-Quds", agree that the torture of the infant came in the context of a systematic policy targeting Palestinians of all ages, and constitutes an extension of a wide range of abuses against detainees and citizens. They confirm that what happened amounts to a crime against humanity, and reveals the extent of sadism and impunity practiced by the occupation in light of absolute international silence. They believe that the incident rings the alarm bell about the seriousness of the stage, and calls for urgent human rights action to document the crime and prosecute its perpetrators in international forums, considering that targeting an infant in this way does not represent merely an assault, but raises a fundamental question about what remains of human values in a world that stands helpless in the face of this level of brutality. According to testimonies and press reports, infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar from Al-Maghazi camp in Gaza was subjected to clear physical torture by the Israeli occupation forces after being detained with his father with the aim of pressuring him to obtain confessions. A medical report showed injuries, including burns caused by cigarette butts on infant Jawad Abu Nassar's legs, and traces of a sharp instrument on one of his legs, after he was handed over by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the evening of the twenty-first of this month, hours after the incident. The family says that infant Jawad was being carried by his father Osama when the occupation army shot at them at the yellow line before separating the man from his son and arresting him, and the father is still detained, after being injured in his shoulder. Structural Brutality The head of the Prisoners' Club, Abdullah Al-Zaghari, confirms that the crimes committed by the occupation against the Palestinian people are no longer surprising in light of the "structural brutality" that constitutes a collective doctrine of the occupation system since the beginning of the genocide war. Al-Zaghari explains that what infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar was subjected to comes in the context of organized sadism targeting everything Palestinian, regardless of age or gender, stressing that this crime cannot be considered an individual act but rather part of a systematic torture system. Al-Zaghari points out that the torture operations that affected thousands of detainees, especially children, reveal the absence of any limits to the level of savagery and killing practiced by the occupation. Green Light for All Forms of Torture Al-Zaghari confirms that the international community's impotence and complicity, after the war of genocide, gave the occupation a green light to practice all forms of torture without fear of accountability or legal prosecution. He considers that what infant Jawad Abu Nassar was subjected to amounts to a crime against humanity, pointing out that if this crime had occurred in a European country or even within Israel itself, "the world would have risen up and not sat down, and human rights and international institutions would have moved immediately." Al-Zaghari calls on international organizations to stop their complicity and put an end to the occupation's practices and crimes. Al-Zaghari confirms that the Palestinian people are facing a racist occupation system that has escalated daily acts of revenge through arrests, prisons, and abuses, in addition to settler terrorism and occupation military decisions. Al-Zaghari stresses that Palestinians have no choice but to confront this reality by steadfastness on their land, continuously documenting crimes and violations, and working at the international human rights and legal level to create pressure that forces international and human rights institutions to restore their role in protecting human values and the principles on which they were founded, leading to the prosecution of the occupation for its crimes. Loss of All Humanitarian and Legal Controls The head of the High Commission for Prisoners' Affairs, Amin Shoman, confirms that the incident of the detention and torture of infant Jawad Abu Nassar and the arrest of his father Osama after his injury, by the Israeli occupation forces in Gaza, represents a dangerous extension of the occupation's disregard for all humanitarian and legal controls. Shoman points out that infant Jawad Abu Nassar, who is less than two years old, was subjected with his father to physical and psychological torture in full view and hearing of the world, which is contrary to all international norms and conventions related to child rights, and an indicator of the sadism of the occupation forces in dealing with Palestinians. Harsh Practices Affecting Children Shoman explains that this heinous crime comes in the context of the continuation of the policy of arbitrary detention and harsh practices affecting Palestinian children inside Israeli prisons, where there are currently more than 365 detained children who are subjected to intimidation and the absence of any privacy or protection for them, which indicates that the occupation has crossed all red lines in dealing with Palestinian childhood. Shoman confirms that these violations are no longer limited to older children, but have reached infants, in a dangerous indicator of the escalation of savagery in Israeli policies towards Palestinians, specifically children and their families. Shoman points out that this violation is not an isolated incident, but represents a continuation of a systematic approach characterized by violence and abuse, as merely being Palestinian makes one vulnerable to arrest, assassination, torture, and various forms of violations, without any respect for international laws or conventions that guarantee human and child rights. Failure of International Institutions to Protect Children Shoman believes that what happened to infant Jawad and his father reflects the failure of all international institutions to protect Palestinian children, stressing the need for local and international human rights institutions to intervene to expose these violations to global public opinion. Shoman notes that current Israeli laws and legislation, in addition to continuous violations, disregard all international agreements, including the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions related to the rights of Palestinian prisoners and detainees, which makes the issue of Palestinian childhood in urgent need of careful follow-up and raising related files before the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, and the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Shoman points out that the occupation's continued arbitrary detention and abuse of Palestinian children and prisoners coincides with the Israeli government's attempts to pass a death penalty law against Palestinian prisoners, stressing that this step increases the seriousness of the situation and places Palestinian children and female prisoners under direct threat, calling on all human rights and international institutions not to remain silent in the face of these violations, and to pressure the occupation to stop arbitrary practices against Palestinian childhood. Shoman confirms that what happens to Palestinian children, including arrests, torture, abuse, and deprivation of their rights to a dignified life, represents a complete crime that requires an urgent and effective response from all international human rights bodies. Shoman stresses that defending Palestinian children is a shared responsibility that requires immediate action to stop violations and ensure their legitimate rights to life, freedom, and dignity. One of the Most Heinous Crimes The Director-General of the International Movement for the Defense of Children – Palestine, Khaled Qazmar, confirms that what happened to infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar represents one of the most heinous crimes he has witnessed during more than 35 years of work in child protection. Qazmar indicates that what he read about the details of what infant Jawad Abu Nassar was subjected to "sends shivers down the spine" and does not come from people who have any connection to humanity. Crime Beyond the Context of War Qazmar believes that the crime transcended the context of war and genocide, during which killing and destruction are practiced, to reach the level of "enjoying torturing a child of this age," which he considers evidence of clear sadism and Nazism in the mindset of its perpetrators. Qazmar explains that this crime is not an isolated incident, but a clear expression of the essence of the colonial-settler mentality that governs the occupation's behavior. Qazmar points out that the Israeli army knows full well what happened, without taking any action, which reflects a systematic policy based on impunity and giving a free hand to soldiers and settlers to commit whatever they wish against Palestinians with the aim of eradicating their existence. Failure to Apply International Law to Israel Qazmar confirms that the international system has failed miserably in applying international law to the occupying state, even though the law was established after World War II to protect humanity from major crimes. Qazmar believes that this failure is a result of the absence of political will, especially among Western countries, led by the United States, which not only provides protection for the occupation, but has also become an obstacle to any attempt to hold it accountable, whether by targeting international human rights institutions, as happened with pressure on the International Criminal Court and imposing sanctions on its judges. Qazmar confirms that the perpetrators of the crime of torturing infant Jawad Abu Nassar violated international law and even Israeli law, but he is sure that they will escape punishment in light of the prevailing "law of the jungle," warning that continued impunity will lead to a repetition of crimes against Palestinian children and civilians in the coming period. A Small Part of the Impunity Issam Baker, coordinator of the National and Islamic Forces and secretary of foreign relations and media in the High Commission for Prisoners' Affairs, confirms that what was published about the torture of infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar and his father represents a small part of what has been happening for 28 months of the occupation's disregard for all human values inside prisons and detention centers. Baker explains that what infant Abu Nassar was subjected to constitutes a real shock that highlights the extent of sadism and deep hostility practiced by the occupation army against male and female prisoners, and its violation of the most basic child and human rights, within an ideological vision that considers Palestinians outside the circle of humanity. Systematic Attempts to Erase Identity Baker confirms that this crime is not an isolated case, but a link in a series of ongoing violations committed by settlers and occupation forces in the occupied Palestinian territories, in the context of systematic attempts to erase identity and impose control through practices that fall within ethnic cleansing efforts. Baker points out that prisoners' testimonies and what is documented daily reveal facts that go beyond what appears in the media, and constitute conclusive legal evidence of the extent of ongoing violations. Baker stresses the need for urgent action to launch international legal procedures that ensure accountability for the occupation and prevent its impunity, emphasizing the importance of providing immediate protection for Palestinian childhood, as guaranteed by international laws and treaties. Baker calls for widespread popular and official action to convey this tragedy to international institutions and platforms, and to build alliances that pressure for accountability for the occupying state, considering that justice for victims and redress for harm is an essential part of upholding justice and enforcing compliance with international law. Breaking His Father's Morale and Intimidating Him Wissam Sahwil, director of the Research and Documentation Department at the Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Victims of Torture, confirms that what infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar (one year and 10 months old) was subjected to after his arrest with his father in Gaza constitutes "a blatant example of a systematic policy practiced by Israeli forces towards detainees, including infants." According to Sahwil, infant Jawad Abu Nassar was returned to his family with "clear bruises and scars indicating that he was subjected to torture methods, some of which resemble cigarette burn marks." Sahwil explains that this pattern of torture is consistent with the definition of Article One of the Convention Against Torture, which includes physical and psychological harm, whether inflicted on the person himself or on a third party with the aim of pressure or intimidation. He points out that the torture of infant Abu Nassar was partly a means to "break his father's morale and intimidate him, especially since the child is completely unable to defend himself, which makes assaulting him a direct means of pressure on the family." Sahwil notes that infant Jawad's father was already suffering from psychological disorders after losing his livelihood after the Israeli army killed his horse, which he relied on to support his family, which led him to stages of sadness and depression. Sahwil believes that the International Red Cross is responsible for clarifying the health condition in which infant Jawad Abu Nassar was received, the medical explanation for the visible effects on him, and the reason for not transferring him directly to a health center to assess his injuries. War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity Sahwil confirms that what happened to Jawad "is not an isolated incident," but reflects a wide pattern of violations, pointing out that there are more than 500 children detained in Israeli prisons, in addition to hundreds of missing people from Gaza whose fate is unknown. Sahwil considers that these practices amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity according to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, especially since they are carried out on a wide scale and with clear intent, as happened with the assassination of the Bani Odeh family in the town of Tammun, south of Tubas, about two weeks ago. He explains that these crimes "do not expire by statute of limitations," calling for the documentation of all medical and field evidence related to infant Jawad Abu Nassar. Sahwil points out that the international community has opened the door to prosecuting perpetrators of torture in countries that have signed international agreements, even if justice cannot be achieved within the occupying state, stressing that "the documentary and daily work of human rights organizations will form the basis for holding the perpetrators of these violations accountable, no matter how long it takes." A Shocking Moment Muhammad Al-Taj, head of the founding body of the "Shams" Foundation for the Support of Prisoners and Human Rights, confirms that what infant Jawad Osama Abu Nassar from Gaza was subjected to after leaving detention centers with the occupation, accompanied by his father, bearing the marks of pain on his body before the world knew, represents a shocking moment that reveals an unprecedented moral collapse. Al-Taj believes that the issue does not stop at the limits of an individual incident, but reflects how violence, when accountability is absent, turns into habitual behavior that does not distinguish between a child and a fighter. Al-Taj points out that harming an infant in this way exposes an entire system that produces cruelty and protects it, based on excessive militarization and rhetoric that dehumanizes Palestinians, and redefines the human in the eyes of the soldier to become merely a target. Absence of Accountability Opens the Door to the Unbelievable Al-Taj believes that the near-total absence of accountability opens the door to the unbelievable, stressing that what happened is a revealing moment of limits that have been crossed and of a world that stands silent in the face of a scene that cannot be interpreted. Al-Taj confirms that confronting this crime cannot be emotional, but must turn into organized action that begins by transforming pain into evidence by documenting every wound and every incident with conclusive means, because accurate truth is stronger than any attempt at denial. Al-Taj stresses that breaking isolation and conveying the narrative to the world as a human story, not mere numbers, is a fundamental step in embarrassing international silence and awakening global conscience. Al-Taj emphasizes the necessity of continuous legal prosecution through international institutions, foremost among them the United Nations, to ensure that perpetrators cannot escape responsibility. Al-Taj believes that the real goal of this violence is to break the Palestinian human being, but the strength and cohesion of society and its ability to transform pain into a force of resistance is the deepest response to these practices, saying: "When an infant is tortured, the question is not only about what happened to him, but about what happened to humanity as a whole."