The New York Times has once again been caught pushing propaganda instead of news.
This time, the paper fell for — or intentionally pushed — an obvious lie and published it on its front page.
Late Tuesday, the New York Times quietly amended a story that used a photo of a malnourished child in Gaza as evidence of Israel “starving” Palestinians.
There was just one issue: The child, Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, suffers from a medical condition unrelated to the war.
Can someone explain to me why the New York Times is using a photo of Mohammed al-Mutawaaq, a child with a muscular disorder, as the face of famine in Gaza? pic.twitter.com/olFjiFgcXt
— Vivid.🇮🇱 (@VividProwess) July 27, 2025
The New York Times’ X account posted the correction: “We have appended an Editors’ Note to a story about Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, a child in Gaza who was diagnosed with severe malnutrition. After publication, The Times learned that he also had pre-existing health problems.”
The note read: “We have since learned new information, including from the hospital that treated him and his medical records, and have updated our story to add context about his pre-existing health problems.”
“This additional detail gives readers a greater understanding of his situation.”
We have appended an Editors’ Note to a story about Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, a child in Gaza who was diagnosed with severe malnutrition. After publication, The Times learned that he also had pre-existing health problems. Read more below. pic.twitter.com/KGxP3b3Q2B
— NYTimes Communications (@NYTimesPR) July 29, 2025
Should the New York Times apologize to Israel?
Meanwhile, the paper praised its “brave” reporters who supposedly helped spread this story “sensitively.”
There was no sensitivity in how the photo was used.
It was framed to push the tired and dangerous claim that Israel is committing genocide.
Israel pushed back against the narrative with actual facts.
The country’s verified X account shared a photo of the child next to his healthy brother and wrote, “Unlike his brother standing by his side, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq suffers from cerebral palsy.”
The post continued, “But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza — playing into the hands of Hamas’s propaganda war.”
Unlike his brother standing by his side, Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matouq suffers from cerebral palsy.
But BBC, CNN, Daily Express, and The New York Times spread a misleading story using a picture of a sick, disabled child to promote a narrative of mass starvation in Gaza —… pic.twitter.com/UzP5PhNSvU
— Israel ישראל (@Israel) July 29, 2025
Israel added, “Without proper disclosure. Without medical context. Without journalistic ethics.”
Suffering in Gaza and elsewhere in the world is real. An image, such as the one the Times chose to lead its story with, evokes strong emotion.
But Gazans allowed Hamas to operate from schools, hospitals, and homes.
Those who call the Gaza Strip home didn’t remove the terrorists politically or by force, so now Israel must.
War is ugly, but misusing photos of disabled children to score political points is also despicable.
This was either journalistic malpractice or intentional deception on behalf of terrorists.
Either way, it’s yet another low for the Times.
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