A series of false and misleading claims have circulated widely on social media amid the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Israel formally declared war on the morning of October 7 after a Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack. The Israeli army has fought to regain control of several towns along the border with Gaza and has launched retaliatory attacks in the besieged area. As of October 11, more than 1,900 people have died in the ongoing conflict.
A wave of disinformation reverberates after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Again, major social media platforms are awash with claims that old photos and videos actually show the current conflict, while other posts fabricate or exaggerate the nature of the conflict. The American response.
Here’s a roundup of the USA TODAY fact-checking team’s claims about the Israel-Hamas conflict:
Also: US death toll rises to 22; Hamas denies targeting children; Tragedy across Gaza: Live updates
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Statements of Foreign Response
Claim: Joe Biden approves $8 billion military aid package for Israel
Our assessment: Wrong
There is no evidence that the White House has approved an $8 billion aid package for Israel. According to officials, the note that purportedly declared aid was a myth. Read more.
Claim: Saudi Arabia ends ‘all talks’ to restore diplomatic ties with Israel after Hamas attack
Our assessment: Wrong
There are no credible reports that Saudi Arabia has abandoned talks on normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel. The post claims Saudi Arabia told Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken, but Blinken has made no mention of it in several recent interviews. The post cites the Jerusalem Post, but there is no evidence that the newspaper made such a statement. Read more.
Videos that are false or misleading
Claim: Video shows Israeli airstrikes on Gaza following Hamas attacks in October
Our assessment: Wrong
Video before Hamas attacks on Israel in October. It was taken in May and shows an Israeli airstrike against the militant Islamic Jihad group in Gaza. Read more.
Claim: The post refers to a video of Israel shooting down a Hamas fighter jet
Our Rating: No context
Implied statement is false. The footage is taken from the video game “Arma 3” and does not show actual combat. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Israeli generals captured by Hamas militants
Our assessment: Wrong
The video shows several leaders of an Azerbaijani separatist group, not Israeli generals, being arrested. The arrests come four days before a Hamas attack on Israel. Read more.
Claim: Iran’s parliament recently chanted ‘Death to Israel’ and ‘Death to America’.
Our assessment: Wrong
This video is from 2020 and is not a response to the current Israel-Hamas conflict. It shows Iranian lawmakers protesting the US drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. There is no credible evidence that any of those slogans refer to Israel. Read more.
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Our fact-checking work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
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