Jerusalem Post deletes article about ‘how to use wartime stress to lose weight’

• The Jerusalem Post has since deleted the article, published on Sunday 
• The newspaper shared the post with hashtags including #weightloss and #Gaza
• LIVE: IDF troops are ‘fighting in the heart of Gaza City’, commander reveals

An Israeli newspaper deleted an article that told readers ‘how to use the stress from the Israel-Hamas war to lose weight’, following massive backlash. 

The Jerusalem Post shared a link to the story to X, and promoted it with hashtags including #Israel, #HamasTerrorists, #Gaza and #weightloss.

The newspaper, founded in 1932 as The Palestine Post, wrote in the X post: ‘Fears of rockets and missiles amid Israel’s war with Hamas putting millions of Israelis in a constant state of anxiety and stress. But you can actually use this stress to lose weight and stay healthy.’

The article, which can still be accessed via the Wayback Machine, was published on Sunday on The Post’s Hebrew-language sister publication, Walla, and was written by Dr. Raz Hagoel, an Israeli doctor whose written work has appeared across Israeli media. 

The subheading for the story reads: ‘The ongoing state of stress and anxiety in Israel has led to weight gain for many, but understanding how stress works can actually aid in shedding pounds while maintaining overall health.’

The Jerusalem Post shared the controversial story to X on Sunday, before quickly taking it down 

So far, 1,400 Israelis have been killed in the Israel-Hamas conflict, which began on October 7

Most of the 1,400 Israelis who have died in the Israel-Hamas war were killed during the initial Hamas incursion

READ MORE: Former Hamas chief who lives in London council house ‘is behind one of the groups planning Armistice Day pro-Palestine protest’

Hagoel wrote: ‘Extended hours spent in front of the television, lack of physical activity, and emotional eating to find comfort all make it difficult to maintain a healthy diet.’

He noted that ‘stress-induced lack of sleep experienced over the past two weeks can lead to obesity.’

The doctor added that Israelis who are hunkered down in bomb shelters while Palestinian rockets and missiles rain down on their cities can take solace in the fact that ‘this current period may actually present an opportunity to address the issue of obesity and stay healthy.’

His article received widespread backlash. Author and journalist Kurt Andersen wrote on X: ‘Assumed this was a parody in questionable taste. (The hashtags with #weightloss as a punchline seemed like a giveaway.) But It’s real. And in questionable taste.’

One X user wrote: ‘Yikes! I had to double-check that this wasn’t a ‘Jerusalem Post’ fake account. There is a crisis in journalism.’

The now-deleted story come as around 1,400 Israelis have so far been killed in the bloodiest conflict between Israel and Hamas in decades. 

Most of these deaths came from Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel on October 7.  

The Palestinian death toll surpassed 10,000, the Hamas-run health ministry said. 

The latest death toll comes as an IDF commander said that his troops are ‘fighting in the heart of terror.’

Israel’s southern army commander, Major-General Yaron Finkelman said: ‘This is a complex and difficult war and unfortunately it has costs.

‘Will not be silent until our mission is complete,’ he added. 

If confirmed, it would be the first time Israeli forces are fighting in central Gaza City for the best part of a decade. The last time was in 2014 when the Israeli military entered Shuja’iyya, a densely populated neighbourhood of the city. 

Avi Mayer, The Jerusalem Post’s editor-in-chief, told The New York Post: ‘The article in question was produced by our Hebrew-language sister publication, Walla News, and was uploaded to our website using an automated translation mechanism.’

‘It did not meet our editorial standards and was thus removed once our staff was made aware of it.’ 

MailOnline has contacted The Jerusalem Post for comment.  

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