On Saturday, 14/12/2024, social media accounts circulated a video clip showing members of a medical team watching a football match with a group of patients present. The clip was accompanied by the following description: “Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah, doctors watching a football match, and patients waiting.. The Ministry of Health announces the opening of an investigation to verify the incident, and confirmed that if its true, measures will be taken against the violators.”
Following this, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced in a press statement on Sunday 15/12/2024, its formation of a committee to verify the authenticity of the video that was circulated on social media on Saturday, and stated that it had begun its procedures to uncover its circumstances. The statement added that if the video is proven, there will be no administrative leniency with this unacceptable transgression, and that necessary legal and administrative measures will be taken to ensure that it is not repeated in any health center.
In a related context, accounts on social media published the same video on the same day, Sunday 15/12/2024, with the following text: “Death of a 6-month-old baby in Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah as a result of negligence and doctors watching a football match. The Ministry of Health opens an investigation.” Other accounts published the video, claiming that it was of the child Musa Islam Ibrahim Abu Rabah, a resident of the town of Qatana.
Two different incidents.. Abu Rabah family denies the circulating claim
Kashif’s team contacted Ibrahim Abu Rabah, grandfather of child Musa Islam Abu Rabah, who confirmed that the child appearing in the circulated clip is not his grandson Musa, adding that the video is of a different incident.
The grandfather stated that his grandson was six months old from the town of Qatana, northwest of Jerusalem, and died on Sunday, 15/12/2024, accusing one of the doctors at the Palestine Medical Complex of negligence.
Abu Rabah added that on 14/12/2024, Musa’s temperature rose to 41 degrees Celsius, and he was transferred to the Jerusalem Medical Center in the town of Biddu, where his condition was diagnosed as a severe fever, and then transferred to Palestine Medical Complex.
Ibrahim, the grandfather, said that the doctor on duty at the complex asked the child’s uncle to take his temperature after giving him a thermometer, and the result was 36 degrees Celsius. The doctor diagnosed the condition as normal and asked to send the child home. However, the child’s temperature was high and he showed signs of illness and exhaustion, and he passed away at home.
The Ministry of Health is investigating the two incidents.
Anas Al-Deek, Public Relations and Media Officer at the Ministry of Health, confirmed to Kashif that the incident of Musa Abu Rabah and the incident in the circulated video clip are separate. He added that two investigation committees have been formed into the two incidents, and the results will be announced as soon as they are released.
| Sources of Claim | Sources of Verification |
| Al-Taybeh Ramallah Abou Ellotf Abu Yasser Nafeth Suleiman Mąħðę Nidal El-Khateb | Palestinian Ministry of Health Ibrahim Abu Rabah, grandfather of the child Musa Abu Rabah Anas Al-Deek, Public Relations and Media Officer at the Ministry of Health |