"I can’t stop thinking of his screams": The “Israeli” killing of man with Down Syndrome

The Middle East Eye (MEE) released a haunting piece about the brutal killing of Nabila Ahmed Bhar’s son, Muhammed, 24, who had Down Syndrome, by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF).

The Bhar family, like many others, were hiding in their home when the soldiers entered.

Nabila told MEE that as IOF soldiers stormed their home, Muhammed was unable to comprehend the situation due to his severe mental disability, and was attacked by a combat dog unleashed by the soldiers.

Dogs were sent in first, according to Nabila, and Muhammed was viciously mauled. The soldiers then forced the family out, leaving Muhammed behind in a separate room. 

Since the ground invasion began, the IOF has used combat dogs to search buildings, including hospitals, often allowing the dogs to attack civilians. Leaked footage from a camera attached to an IOF dog showed it biting and dragging an elderly Palestinian woman.

Helpless and at gunpoint, the family could only guess his fate from the agonizing screams.

For seven days, the family waited as IOF soldiers occupied their neighborhood. When the soldiers finally withdrew, they rushed back to find Muhammed’s decomposing body. Worms had begun eating his face.

"I cannot stop thinking of his screams and the image of him trying to free himself,” said Nabila. Muhammed’s Down Syndrome left him with the mental capacity of a baby. "He was very innocent. He couldn’t understand or grasp anything."

The raid on Shujaiya began on June 27, marked by relentless airstrikes and ground incursions. The densely populated area faced continuous bombing, house storms, and mass expulsions, trapping families like the Bhars.

Nabila, 71, recounted how the family, including her two sons, their wives, and children, hid in the house for a week. The children sought refuge in a bathtub, while Muhammed, who was heavy and often refused to move, stayed in the safest corner of the living room.

When IOF soldiers arrived, their dog immediately attacked Muhammed. Nabila recalled, "The dog bit his chest, then started mauling his arm. Muhammed was screaming and trying to free himself as blood poured."

Despite her pleas, the soldiers took Muhammed to a separate room. His screams for water were met with callous responses, and Nabila could hear him humming in pain before he fell silent, possibly sedated by a doctor accompanying the soldiers.

"I asked the soldier, 'Where is Muhammed?' He told me, 'Muhammed is gone.' I asked again, 'Gone where?' He answered, 'He's gone. There is no Muhammed,'" Nabila said.

The family was forced to leave, and for the next seven days, they pleaded alongside the Red Cross for Muhammed’s release or medical help. However, the IOF remained uncooperative.

Muhammed’s older brother, Jebril, was the first to return to their home after the troops withdrew. He found Muhammed's body covered with blood and decomposing fluids. "He was lying on his stomach, his body had decayed, and worms had begun to eat his face," Jebril said.

With Gaza’s hospitals inoperative and roads devastated by bombardment, Jebril faced insurmountable challenges in seeking medical help or proper burial for Muhammed. 

Unable to register his death or transport his body to a cemetery, Jebril buried Muhammed near their home, in a small space between their house and his uncle’s.