Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
In response to the Israeli threat to Tehran's District 18, Iranian forces issue an evacuation order for Israeli settlers in the Neve Tzedek area
Israeli media: Sirens sound in the Dead Sea area over fears of a drone infiltration
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Tehran: Explosions heard in the Piroozi, Sabalan, and Sayyad districts of Tehran
Al Mayadeen’s correspondent in Tehran: Air defenses are confronting intensive Israeli targets over the skies of Mashhad
"Israel’s" Channel 12: Around 20 cars caught fire following an Iranian strike in the central region
Iranian Leader Sayyed Ali Khamenei on X: We must respond with strength to the terrorist Zionist entity... We will never compromise with the Zionists
Israeli media: A new barrage of rockets launched from Iran has been detected
Israeli media: Two direct hits were recorded in the latest salvo of missiles, the first in the north and the second in Tel Aviv
Iran: Fars News Agency: The Armed Forces attacked the Meron Air Traffic Control Base in northern occupied Palestine
Israeli media: Israeli Channel 12: An Iranian missile impacted a building in central Israel directly

Who is behind the fabricated claim of 'beheaded babies'?

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Grayzone
  • 12 Oct 2023 06:41
  • 9 Shares
4 Min Read

It is none other than the fanatical settler leader who had previously called for the Palestinian town of Huwara to be "wiped out", The Grayzone says.

  • x
  • Grayzone
    David Ben Zion hours after claiming he had found babies "beheaded" by Palestinian Resistance fighters in the illegal "Kfar Azza" kibbutz (Social media)

Following false accusations made by an Israeli occupation reserve soldier named David Ben Zion about Palestinian Resistance fighters beheading babies, the claims gained widespread attention from US President Joe Biden, Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as international media.

The Grayzone news website, however, has identified Ben Zion as an extremist settler leader who had previously incited riots by calling for the Palestinian town of Huwara to be "wiped out".

An international condemnation ensued after the Israeli Foreign Ministry claimed that Palestinian Resistance fighters from the Gaza Strip had killed "40 babies" and beheaded some of them during an attack on the illegal "Kfar Azza" kibbutz on the border with Gaza as part of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood that the Resistance launched against the Israeli occupation.

Biden reiterated this false claim during an address at the White House on October 10, and it was uncritically reported by Western media outlets.

According to The Grayzone, Ben Zion, the key source behind the false claim serves as the Deputy Commander of Unit 71 in the Israeli occupation army.

"We walked door to door, we killed a lot of terrorists. They are very bad. They cut heads of children, they cut heads of women," Ben Zion told Israeli i24 reporter Nicole Zedek in an interview on October 10, also referring to Palestinians as "animals".

Oddly, in a video posted on his Facebook account, Ben Zion could be seen smiling in "Kfar Azza", where he claimed to witness the alleged killings of the babies.

Using the speculative verbs of "believe" and "told me", Zedek indicated hours later, "Soldiers told me they believe 40 babies/children were killed."

Although the Israeli occupation military spokesperson denied information regarding "Hamas beheading babies," the unverified claims reached top-level leadership, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson and US President Joe Biden marginally alluding to the reports of babies and toddlers' "heads decapitated".

Biden still failed to mention that the Israeli occupation was brutally killing civilians, using white phosphorus, and bombing religious sites and schools where people typically seek refuge in times of war.

Soldiers told me they believe 40 babies/children were killed. The exact death toll is still unknown as the military continues to go house to house and find more Israeli casualties. https://t.co/PEGSFXgb9x

— Nicole Zedeck (@Nicole_Zedek) October 10, 2023

Related News

Palestinian resistance downs Israeli drone in Gaza amid extensive ops

'Israel' kills 80 in Gaza, 65 of whom gunned down in 'aid' site

In the same context, some reporters who initially supported the Israeli allegations began reporting on their own observations that showed otherwise.

Oren Ziv, an Israeli reporter who was present during the Israeli occupation military's official tour in "Kfar Azza", posted on X that "during the tour, we didn’t see any evidence of this, and the army spokesperson or commanders also didn’t mention any such incidents."

1/5 I'm getting a lot of question about the reports of "Hamas beheaded babies” that were published after the media tour in the village. During the tour we didn’t see any evidence of this, and the army spokesperson or commanders also didn’t mention any such incidents. pic.twitter.com/qN4XZmlGAP

— Oren Ziv (@OrenZiv_) October 11, 2023

Ziv pointed out that "during the tour, journalists were allowed to speak to the hundreds of soldiers on site, without the supervision of the army's spokesperson team," which made it easy for Ben Zion to make such fabrications against Palestinian Resistance fighters.

He also added that some Israeli occupation soldiers he spoke to in "Kfar Azza" didn't mention "beheaded babies".

The Grayzone noted that David Ben Zion is a leader of 35 illegal West Bank settlements under the so-called Shomron Regional Council.

He previously called for the Palestinian village of Huwara to be "wiped out".

Homes, shops, and cars were set ablaze in a village in #Palestine by Israeli settlers, under the protection of Israeli occupation forces.
Many #Palestinians said last night's horrific scenes were a lot like the Zionist gangs' crimes committed during the 1948 Nakba. pic.twitter.com/7DgGUlLeDm

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) February 27, 2023

Ben Zion was quoted by Israeli media as saying that "the village of Huwara should be wiped out, this place is a nest of terror and the punishment should be for everyone," in reference to the whole Palestinian people.

Deputy mayor of Samaria region:

"Here in Hawara the blood of our children was spilled on the road...
Hawara needs to be wiped out today.
Enough talk about building and strengthening the settlements. The deterrence that was lost must return now, there's no room for mercy." pic.twitter.com/6l1cEEbCI5

— Judah Ari Gross (@JudahAriGross) February 26, 2023

Elsewhere, The Grayzone report mentioned that Ben Zion had repeatedly called for war crimes and the "deportation of the [Palestinian] masses," characterizing in 2016 the Palestinian people as enemies with a "barbaric DNA."

Read more: IOF celebrate settler who took part in 1948 Deir Yassin massacre

  • Gaza Strip
  • Operation Al-Aqsa Flood
  • Palestine
  • Israeli aggression
  • Israel
  • Israeli occupation
  • Palestinian resistance
  • Al-Qassam Brigades
  • Gaza
War on Gaza

War on Gaza

Most Read

Iranian missiles impact Israeli sites in Tel Aviv in 2nd wave

Iran's missiles impact 'strategic' Israeli site in Tel Aviv

  • Politics
  • 14 Jun 2025
Bin Salman: Islamic world backs Iran in call to Pezeshkian

MBS says Islamic world backs Iran in call with Pezeshkian

  • MENA
  • 15 Jun 2025
Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Smoke rises after an Iranian ballistic missile directly struck Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

Op. True Promise 3: Iran's ballistic missiles strike Tel Aviv

  • MENA
  • 13 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A Turkish Air Force pilot gestures from the cockpit of an F-16 military fighter jet before an Air Policing exercise at the Baza 86 military air base, outside Fetesti, Romania, Wednesday, March 6, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Israeli aircraft violate Turkish airspace, fighter jets scrambled

An Israeli occupation forces armored personnel carrier maneuvers in the Gaza Strip, southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Palestinian resistance downs Israeli drone in Gaza amid extensive ops

An Israeli Hermes 450 UAV drone flies over Beirut, Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
Politics

Iran reports shooting down 28 types of hostile aircraft in 24 hours

Firefighters work to extinguish a blaze after a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Iran retaliatory strikes target greater Tel Aviv as injuries reported

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS