Israeli Military, Gaza Doctor, Cast Doubt on Hamas Claim Tear Gas Killed Palestinian Baby

By Staff Reporter
Posted on 05/15/18 | News Source: Algemeiner

An IDF official cast doubt on Tuesday that the Israeli military was responsible for the death the previous day of a Palestinian baby in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

“We have evidence that undermines the credibility of the Hamas Health Ministry’s announcement regarding the death of the baby,” Maj. Avichay Adraee — the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman — said.

تشكيك أساسي في مصداقية بيان التابعة لحماس حول وفاة في قطاع نتيجة استنشاق الغاز المسيل للدموع. لدينا عدّة شهادات تُشكّك في صحّة هذا البيان.

Adraee was referring to eight-month-old girl Laila al-Ghandour, who — according to the Health Ministry — died after inhaling tear gas fired by Israeli forces at rioters on the Gaza border.

An anonymous medical doctor in Gaza separately told the Associated Press that al-Ghandour “had a pre-existing medical condition and that he did not believe her death was caused by tear gas.”

Al-Ghandour was laid to rest on Tuesday in Gaza City at a funeral attended by hundreds of mourners.

At least 60 Palestinians were killed on the border on Monday.