Claim: A video published on social media on 1 November 2023 by journalist Benjamin Sales shows first responder Asher Moskowitz claiming that Hamas operatives burned an Israeli baby in an oven on 7 October 2023.
Fact: To ascertain whether credible evidence exists to back this claim, Soch Fact Check looked into both Israeli and US media sources. Through this consensus, we concluded that credible evidence does not exist. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which compiled the documented records of confirmed deaths and their causes on the 7 October massacre, disputes the claim and presents evidence that contradicts it. Two independent journalists also investigated the matter and found no substantiated reports of any such incident.
The IDF Spokesman’s Office and ZAKA, a volunteer organisation dealing with bodies, did not provide any official statement or information regarding the case. Therefore, the claim cannot be verified.
On 7 October 2023, a violent confrontation erupted at the Gaza border between Israeli forces and Hamas militants, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis.
On 1 November 2023, journalist Benjamin Sales posted a video on his X account, showing the Israeli government’s rescue worker, Asher Moskowitz recounting his experience during the attack. In the video, Moskowitz claims that he found the deceased Israeli baby burnt in an oven.
The video quickly went viral on social media, attracting more than 152,000 views, 372 likes and 335 reposts on X. It was also picked up by the Daily Mail, a British tabloid newspaper, which published an article on 2 November 2023 with the headline: “Hamas killers ‘roasted babies in an oven’ during October 7 terror attack, Israeli first responder claims“. The article amplified the claim by stating that multiple babies were burned by Hamas.
To ascertain whether credible evidence exists to back this claim, Soch Fact Check looked into Israeli media sources. Through this media consensus, we concluded that credible evidence does not exist to back this claim.
Haaretz
There is no official confirmation or evidence to support the claim that Hamas operatives burned an Israeli baby in an oven during the Gaza border massacre. The claim contradicts the documented records of confirmed deaths and their causes as compiled by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which utilised information from government sources and eyewitness accounts. The newspaper uses data from the National Insurance and details gathered from crime scenes, kibbutz leaders, and the police to compile this list.
The newspaper, in a report published on 3 December 2023, disputes the claim made by Moskowitz and presents evidence that challenges it. According to Haaretz, the only infants killed in the massacre were one-year-old Mila Cohen from Kibbutz Bari and a baby who died after being shot in the stomach of her mother, a pregnant Bedouin woman who was travelling to Soroka hospital due to contractions. The article also states that an official at the rescue union said “the source of the mistake was a volunteer”. This story also contradicts the Moskowitz’ claims that he found the deceased Israeli baby burnt in an oven.
Haaretz also refers to the story as a “false claim” in an article titled “Denial of Hamas’ October 7 Massacre Is Gaining Pace Online”, citing it as an example of a case where false claims encourage some to deny the attack as a whole. While discussing the weaponization of false claims by the IDF, the article states: “Other weapons include the few cases of false or unsubstantiated claims by Israelis; for example, the false claim about a baby that was “baked in an oven” by Hamas terrorists. These isolated cases have become ammunition in the hands of deniers.”
Jerusalem Post and ZAKA
According to the Jerusalem Post (JP), the IDF Spokesman’s Office opted not to provide an official statement regarding the case. Additionally, a spokesperson from humanitarian organisation, ZAKA informed the JP that they have no knowledge of the mentioned case. The article also notes that the IDF did not feature the case in any of the three private screenings of the 43-minute-long raw footage from the massacre presented to journalists.
Kikar HaShabbat
After the case became public, Ishay Coen, a journalist working for the Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) news website Kikar HaShabbat, investigated the matter independently and reported his findings on 30 October 2023. On his X account, Coen disclosed that he had reached out to officials in the IDF, Shura army base, and ZAKA. According to Coen, these authorities expressed unfamiliarity with the alleged incident. Coen concluded that in the absence of substantiated reports of any such event, the story is “incorrect”.
Journalist Chaim Levinson also investigated the claim, reporting that when he investigated the story, he found no basis for it. According to him, the testimony comes from a volunteer who saw a baby with “stove marks” in the camp.
Fake Reporter
According to a tweet by FakeReporter, an Israeli fact-checker, “Journalist Yishai Cohen said that he contacted officials in the IDF, Zaka and Shura camp – who said they were not familiar with the incident. Journalist Haim Levinson reported that he checked the story and found no basis for it. According to him, the testimony is based on a volunteer who saw a baby with “stove marks” in the camp. Contrary to the claim that came up, the IDF spokesman did not present such an event in the closed screening of the materials that was made for the foreign journalists. If you have more information – please contact us. It is important for us to say: there are horrific and unimaginable testimonies from the massacre in Gaza, and still even today there are those who doubt their credibility, and they do so while exploiting specific testimonies that have no basis.”
Emphasising the importance of official confirmations for witness testimonies, FakeReporter added that, “If you see a testimony that has no source or official confirmation – avoid spreading it. Inaccurate testimony has the potential for great harm.”
Soch Fact Check later reached out to Fake Reporter, inquiring whether they conducted any recent investigations on this matter. They guided us to a Haaretz article which, referencing the story about a baby in an oven, clarifies: “United Hatzalah President Eli Beer told of a baby that was placed in an oven and burned to death. Beer made the remarks at a donors conference in the United States. The British newspaper The Daily Mail changed it from “baby” to “babies.”
But this story also is not true. Ten-month-old Mila Cohen was murdered in the massacre, along with the baby still in the womb of her mother who died after her mother was shot on the way to hospital. The police have no evidence showing that other babies were killed. A source at United Hatzalah said a volunteer mistakenly interpreted a case at the Shura base and passed the inaccuracy on to Beer.”
Breaking Points (USA)
American political commentator Krystal Ball also cited the same Haaretz article to substantiate her statement, “Certain particularly horrifying anecdotes claimed by the Israeli government have fallen apart under scrutiny by the Israeli outlet Haaretz. These debunked claims include, that 40 babies were beheaded, that a baby was found in an oven, that a pregnant woman had a baby cut out of her, among others.”
Virality
The claim received more than 152,000 views, 372 likes and 335 reposts on X.
It was also published by the Daily Mail, which claimed multiple babies were burned. The Daily Mail has an average daily circulation of 1.1 million readers.
The claim was shared on Instagram multiple times
On Facebook, the claim was shared here, here, here, here, and here.
Conclusion: Video testimony by a first responder claiming that Hamas operatives burned an Israeli baby in an oven during the 7 October attacks went viral on social media. However, there is no official confirmation by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) or sufficient evidence from Israeli organisations to support this claim, including ZAKA, whose volunteer first made the claim. Furthermore, according to a media consensus built by Soch Fact Check, an investigation into Israeli sources such as Haaretz, The Jerusalem Post, Fake Reporter and Kikar HaShabbat has concluded that credible evidence does not exist to back this claim.
Background image in cover photo: Politico
To appeal against our fact-check, please send an email to appeals@sochfactcheck.com