Overview

• A May 2025 medical report diagnosed 20-month-old Muhammad with cerebral palsy and hypoxemia rather than hunger.
• Honest Reporting flagged uncropped images showing his older brother well-nourished behind him in the widely circulated photo.
• Major outlets including CNN, Sky News, The Guardian and The New York Times ran the image as evidence of mass starvation without noting his condition.
• The Israel Defense Forces issued a statement denying any ongoing mass hunger in Gaza and labeled the starvation claims a Hamas-driven falsehood.
• Media watchdogs and Israeli officials are urging publishers to update or retract stories that omitted Muhammad’s medical background.