Israeli Sniper Posts Photo Of Child In Crosshairs, Sparks Outrage

An Israeli sniper who posted a photo online of a child in the crosshairs of a rifle has sparked outrage across the internet. The horrifying image, posted on the soldier’s personal Instagram account, prompted an investigation by his commanding officers.

The photo, allegedly posted on January 25, appears to show the back of a young boy’s head centered in the crosshairs of a rifle scope. The boy’s surroundings reportedly suggest that the image was taken in a Palestinian village. There is no indication that any harm came to the unidentified boy at the time the photo was taken.

According to ABC News, Mor Ostrovski belongs to an Israeli sniper unit, but denies taking the photo himself. The soldier claims he was simply sharing the image after finding it on the internet.

Eytan Buchman, a spokesman for the Israeli military confirms that Ostrovski has removed the offending image from the internet and deactivated his personal Instagram account. In an email to NBC News, he added:

“The picture in question does not coincide with [Israel Defense Forces] values or code of ethics.”

According to an article by The Guardian, the disturbing image of a child in crosshairs has caused anger and disgust to ripple across the internet. An online response from Electronic Intifada, a site that highlights Palestinian issues, summed up the general sentiment by calling the photo “tasteless and dehumanizing.”

At this time, the Israeli sniper has not received any disciplinary action for posting the photo of a young child in the crosshairs of a rifle scope.