Palestinian Poet Interrogated by Israeli Military Using Facial Recognition Technology
During a routine walk through an Israeli military checkpoint on Gaza’s central highway, Palestinian poet Mosab Abu Toha was singled out for interrogation by Israeli soldiers. After being asked to step out of the crowd, Abu Toha was blindfolded and taken for questioning, despite having no ties to militant groups such as Hamas.
The 31-year-old poet was identified through a facial recognition program that Israeli intelligence officials revealed had been in use in Gaza since late last year. This previously undisclosed program has been employed to surveil and collect the faces of Palestinians without their consent or knowledge.
The technology, developed by an Israeli company called Corsight and utilizing Google Photos, allows Israel to identify individuals from crowds or grainy footage. While originally intended to locate Israelis taken hostage by Hamas, the program has expanded to target anyone suspected of having connections to militant groups.
Critics, including Amnesty International researcher Matt Mahmoudi, have raised concerns about the dehumanizing effects of the technology on Palestinians. The program’s broad guidelines for identifying targets have led to false positives and unjust detentions, as highlighted by Abu Toha’s case.
Despite facing interrogation and mistreatment during his detention, Abu Toha was eventually released after a campaign led by journalists. He has since relocated to Cairo with his family, unaware of the extent of Israel’s surveillance tactics in Gaza.
The use of facial recognition technology in Gaza represents a concerning trend in the militarization of surveillance practices, with implications for the privacy and civil liberties of Palestinians in the region. Israel’s continued expansion of these programs raises questions about the ethics and efficacy of using advanced technology for military purposes in conflict zones.