Gruesome images of a young Palestinian boy with part of his head blown off in what witnesses described as an Israeli tank strike last week have shocked even hardened observers of the war in Gaza.

Videos and photos showing a grief-stricken man holding up a boy, the flesh of his face hanging loose to reveal what appeared to be his hollowed out cranium, began to spread on social media on Wednesday.

NBC News’ crew in Gaza captured the moments that the body of the boy, eight-year-old Abdullah…