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The Stern magazine has found itself at the centre of a media storm, with critics accusing it of using a potentially misleading or insufficiently contextualised image of a malnourished child on its cover for its reporting on the hunger crisis in Gaza.
The controversy mirrors recent disputes involving other media outlets, such as the New York Times, which faced backlash for using a harrowing photo of a malnourished child without initially clarifying the child’s pre-existing medical conditions that contributed to his state.
The specific image on Stern's cover is not detailed, but the criticism fits into a broader pattern of concern over media representation of Gaza's humanitarian plight. This includes debates on whether images exploit victims, the accuracy of captions or descriptions, and the emotional and political impact of such visual reporting.
The child on the Stern cover is not Muhammad Zakariya Ayyoub al-Matuk, but Yezen (or Yazan) Abu Ful, who lives under harsh conditions in the Al-Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City. His health has deteriorated due to lack of access to food and nutritional supplements.
The Stern magazine has defended its use of the image, stating that it provided context for the child's condition in the caption. However, critics argue that the ethical implications of using powerful images that may not capture the full context should be carefully considered, as there is a risk of spreading partial or inaccurate narratives that can influence public perception and political discourse.
The Stern magazine's editorial team consists of a specific group of people, and the magazine has been a polarizing topic, especially in the past two years. The photo of Yezen Abu Ful was distributed by the Turkish news agency Anadolu via Getty Images on July 21, 2025.
In a separate article, a Stern colleague wrote about the impact of images from Gaza on mothers, using the same photo from stern.de. The humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip followed the Hamas terror attack on Israel, which had a significant impact on the world. Despite this, there is no justification or relativization for the attack. Israel's right to defend itself is a non-negotiable fact for the Stern magazine.
Several media outlets, including the New York Times, reported on Muhammad's pre-existing conditions after July 24, 2025. Large parts of the Gaza Strip have been destroyed, and many people lack basic necessities. The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians has been accompanied by propaganda, and calls for balanced and responsible journalism are increasingly being heard.
The article about the impact of images from Gaza was published on July 24, 2025. The Stern magazine's use of the image on its cover for Gaza reporting is criticised because it is seen as potentially misleading or insufficiently contextualised, raising ethical issues about journalistic representation during conflicts. This criticism follows wider scrutiny of media imagery related to Gaza, emphasising the need for careful, responsible portrayal.
References: [2] [Link to article about the New York Times controversy] [3] [Link to article about the broader pattern of concern over media representation of Gaza's humanitarian plight]
- Despite the Stern magazine defending its use of the image, critics contend that the ethical implications of utilizing powerful images, such as those from social-media or books, should be carefully deliberated, as there's a risk of spreading partial or inaccurate narratives that can sway public perception and political discourse, especially in the context of entertainment media like movies-and-tv and pop-culture, including celebrities and sci-fi-and-fantasy.
- The use of sensational images, like the one used by the Stern magazine, echoes the controversies faced by other media outlets, such as the New York Times, and sparks debates over whether such visual reporting exploits victims or accurately represents the humanitarian crises, as seen in the European Union's dealings with the hunger crisis in Gaza.
- Amidst the media storm, the Stern magazine's editorial team has faced criticism for their handling of images from Gaza, particularly after the publication of the article addressing the impact of these images on mothers, mirroring the broader discussions on the portrayal of such images within pop-culture.
- As the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians persists and propaganda proliferates, calls for balanced and responsible journalism are increasingly being heard, recognizing the significant influence media outlets, like this Stern magazine or others such as the New York Times, hold in shaping public opinion on sensitive issues like this, and the need for them to exercise caution while reporting.
