The story, which was intended to spotlight the humanitarian toll of the war in Gaza, included a widely circulated photo of the boy with a sunken face and protruding spine, cradled in his mother’s arms. The image quickly went viral, becoming a potent symbol of the alleged famine conditions in Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing military campaign against Hamas.
However, people were quick to point out that the mother and brother of the child, also seen in the picture, seemed to be healthy and well fed, casting doubt on the narrative shared by the Times.
“We recently ran a story about Gaza’s most vulnerable civilians, including Mohammed Zakaria al-Mutawaq, who is about 18 months old and suffers from severe malnutrition,” a New York Times spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”
The Times did not specify what health conditions al-Mutawaq suffers from in its editor’s note. However, shortly after the picture circulated, His mother told CNN last week that he has a “muscle disorder” and receives specialized nutrition and physical therapy. She added that her son is “happy” and capable of sitting upright, details not included in the Times’ original portrayal.
Media watchdog HonestReporting drew attention to a detail in the Times photograph that further complicates the narrative: Mohammed’s older brother, Joud, appears in the background of the image looking healthy and well-fed, as does his mother. The juxtaposition raised questions about whether the boy’s condition is representative of the claims of starvation in Gaza or specific to his personal health challenges.
Adding to the scrutiny, British-Israeli journalist David Collier reported that a May 2025 medical document from Gaza indicates that Mohammed suffers from cerebral palsy, hypoxemia, and a serious genetic disorder.
Critics of the New York Times have accused the outlet of sensationalizing the child's image without sufficient context, potentially misleading readers about the broader humanitarian situation, and attempting to portray the Jewish state negatively.
The correction comes amid ongoing scrutiny over media coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, with pro-Israel advocates warning of the dangers of emotionally charged imagery being used without full disclosure of underlying facts. The Times has had to issue many corrections and updates after accepting Hamas information at face value.
Most notably, the outlet was accused of having photo journalists embedded with Hamas during the Oct 7 massacre. Survivors and families of the victims have sued multiple outlets that published the photos.
