The conflict in the Middle East has been a destructive and divisive humanitarian issue for decades. Recently, the US president Joe Biden has claimed that Hamas has been “beheading babies” during the current crisis in the Gaza strip. The statement has caused controversy, resulting in questions over whether or not it has any basis in fact.
The origin of the claim can be traced to an article published by Israeli website Walla claiming that Hamas had perpetrated atrocities during the conflict. This has caused much debate, however, no direct evidence has been produced to confirm these claims. Hamas has denied carrying out any such acts, and it appears that the claims are based on hearsay with no hard proof.
Furthermore, conflicting reports from other outlets such as BBC News and Al Jazeera have challenged the veracity of the reports, raising questions as to whether Biden’s claim is accurate or not. The UN Human Rights Council has also launched an official investigation into war crimes in the region, looking into the matter further.
For the moment, Biden’s claims remain unsubstantiated. While there have been reports that Hamas has committed atrocities during the conflict, it seems unlikely that these reports are sufficient to back up Biden’s claims of babies being beheaded. It may be possible that further evidence may emerge, however, until that happens, the president’s claims remain contested.