Dozens of Palestinians are captured by IDF, stripped and paraded around Gaza

Dozens of Palestinians are captured by IDF, stripped and paraded around Gaza

Dozens of Palestinians have been pictured stripped to their underwear, bound and lined up on their knees, after reportedly being captured by Israeli soldiers in northern Gaza.

Footage shared by Israeli media appears to show Israel Defence Forces (IDF) troops rounding up scores of men and transporting them on the back of trucks.

The men are believed to have surrendered in the Jabalia refugee camp and other areas around northern Gaza, with Israeli outlet Walla saying they were stripped 'to rule out the possibility that they were carrying weapons'. 

Dozens of captives are reported to have been paraded through Palestine Square in Gaza City, with shoes and sandals strewn across the street in one image.

When asked about the images, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari seemed to confirm that the men had been taken prisoner but did not clarify whether those pictured were members of Hamas or civilians.

Israeli military spokesman Daniel Hagari said Israeli troops have detained and interrogated hundreds of people in Gaza suspected of militant links. 

Hagari told reporters: 'Jabalia and Shejaiya are 'centres of gravity'... for terrorists, and we are fighting them.

'They are hiding underground and come out and we fight them. Whoever is left in those areas, they come out from tunnel shafts, and some from buildings, and we investigate who is linked to Hamas, and who isn't. We arrest them all and interrogate them.' 

Walla outlet claimed on Wednesday afternoon that Israeli soldiers from the 261st Reserve Brigade had arrested those pictured and were 'investigating' them. 

The news site reported that those arrested were not expected to be moved to Israel but investigated in Gaza 'since there is a likelihood that the suspects are innocent people living in a humanitarian shelter in the vicinity'.

There have been unconfirmed reports that the men were captured from UN-run schools in the north of the territory.

The Al-Araby Al-Jadeed news outlet said its correspondent Diaa Al-Kahlout was among those detained and had been taken to an unknown location.

Israeli forces have encircled major urban centres as they seek to destroy Hamas over its unprecedented attack on October 7, when terrorists broke through Gaza's militarised border to kill around 1,200 people and seize hostages, 138 of whom remain captive, according to Israeli figures.

Since Israel began bombarding the small enclave in response, more than 17,170 Palestinians have been killed and 46,000 wounded, according to the Gaza health ministry.

It comes as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, in his strongest public criticism of Israel's conduct of the war on Hamas in south Gaza, said there was a gap between the government's declared intentions to protect civilians and the casualties. 

'As we stand here almost a week into this campaign into the south, it remains imperative that Israel put a premium on civilian protection,' Blinken said after meeting British Foreign Secretary David Cameron in Washington. 

'And there does remain a gap between... the intent to protect civilians and the actual results that we're seeing on the ground.'

It emerged last night that Blinken had told the Israeli government that he expects it to end the war in Gaza within the next month amid concerns over the growing death toll there