Israel-Hamas war sparks many misleading claims online. Here's what's true and false.
An array of false and misleading claims have spread widely on social media in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Israel formally declared war after the Palestinian militant group launched a surprise attack on the morning of Oct. 7.
The ensuing wave of misinformation echoes the aftermath of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Again, major social media platforms are awash in claims that old photos and videos actually showed the present conflict, while other posts fabricate or exaggerate the nature of the conflict and the American response.
Here's a roundup of claims about the Israel-Hamas conflict from the USA TODAY Fact-Check Team:
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CLAIMS ABOUT THE FOREIGN RESPONSE
Claim: Photo shows Joe Biden lounging on the beach amid Israel-Hamas war, search for US House speaker
Our rating: False
The picture of the Bidens at the beach predates the Israel-Hamas war and the search to replace the U.S. House Speaker in Congress. It was taken in August. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Irish ambassador criticizing Israel's treatment of Palestinians in October 2023
Our rating: False
The video shows a member of the Irish parliament, not an ambassador, speaking at a 2014 committee meeting. The clip is unrelated to the current Israel-Hamas war. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Putin warning US not to interfere in the Israel-Hamas war
Our rating: False
The video predates the ongoing Israel-Hamas war by nearly a year and does not match the caption. It shows Putin discussing the threat of nuclear war in December 2022. He did not mention Israel or the U.S. in his remarks. Read more.
Claim: Emir of Qatar threatened to cut off world's natural gas supply if Gaza bombing continues
Our rating: False
A disinformation expert in Qatar says the emir has not made such a threat, and there are no credible reports of one. Read more.
Claim: Israel defense minister announced Israel has ‘abolished all the rules of war’
Our rating: False
There is no evidence Gallant said this. Versions of the claim reference Gallant's message to Israeli troops along the Gaza border, but media accounts of those remarks include no mention of abolishing the rules of war. Read more.
Claim: Department of Defense evacuated US embassy in Beirut and told Americans to leave Lebanon immediately
Our rating: False
The embassy published a statement saying it's still open and operating like normal. It announced a regional security alert, warning U.S. citizens to avoid travel in the area and to exercise caution. Read more.
Claim: Donald Trump said Israel 'hypnotized the world,' committed 'evil doings'
Our rating: False
Trump was quoting a social media post made by Rep. Ilhan Omar, not expressing his own position. The short video clip omits the attribution at the start of Trump's comment. Read more.
Claim: Joe Biden approved $8 billion military aid package for Israel
Our rating: False
There's no evidence the White House approved an $8 billion aid package for Israel. The supposed memo announcing the aid is a fabrication, according to officials. Read more.
Claim: Saudi Arabia has ended 'all negotiations' to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel after Hamas attack
Our rating: False
There are no credible reports that Saudi Arabia has called off talks to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel. The post claims Saudi Arabia told Secretary of State Antony Blinken as much, but Blinken made no mention of it in multiple recent interviews. The post cites The Jerusalem Post, but there is no evidence the newspaper published such a report. Read more.
FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT COMBAT
Claim: Israeli newspaper investigation found no babies were beheaded during Oct. 7 Hamas attack
Our rating: False
Haaretz said the claim is baseless. There is no evidence the news outlet conducted any such investigation. It reported the decapitated bodies of babies had been found following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack. An international group of forensic pathologists also have confirmed babies were found decapitated, though it's unclear if that happened before or after death. Read more.
Claim: The Islamic Black Flag raised in Iran signifies a call to war
Our rating: False
The black flag was raised over the Imam Reza shrine as a call to mourning, not war, as confirmed by experts and statements from the shrine. Read more.
Claim: Hamas attack on Supernova music festival was a false flag
Our rating: False
An abundance of evidence, including graphic footage from the attack, shows it was Hamas that perpetrated the massacre at the Supernova music festival. Read more.
Claim: Israeli spokesperson said Israel bombed Gaza hospital
Our rating: False
The man who shared the post on X is a self-described "media personality," not a spokesperson for the Israeli government. Israel hasn't taken "credit" for the hospital blast. The original X post was later deleted. Read more.
CLAIMS ABOUT INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AND PROTESTS
Claim: Video shows pro-Palestinian protest in France
Our rating: False
The video predates the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. It shows fans of a Brazilian soccer team marching before a game. Read more.
Claim: Image shows a crowd of Israelis waving at marching soldiers
Our rating: Altered
The image was made using artificial intelligence, and it was originally labeled as such. An expert found multiple signs that the image is not genuine. Read more.
Claim: There was an insurrection at the Capitol on Oct. 18
Our rating: False
The crowd hosted a demonstration, not an insurrection, and it wasn't at the Capitol. Demonstrators entered the building legally and were arrested after they began protesting. No property damage or major injuries were reported. Read more.
Claim: McDonald’s changed its wrappers to support Israel
Our rating: False
The wrapper shown in the video is one of several similar designs used for special orders, limited-edition products or temporary shortages of standard wrappers, McDonald’s said. The blue and white wrappers have been in use since well before the Israel-Hamas war. Read more.
Claim: Video shows pro-Palestinian protestors attacking police in Barcelona
Our rating: False
The video shows a 2020 protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Barcelona. It's unrelated to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Read more.
Claim: Video shows protestors burning down Israeli Embassy in Bahrain
Our rating: False
The video was filmed in 2012 and shows protestors attacking a police station in Bahrain. It's unrelated to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Read more.
Claim: University of Pennsylvania students chanted ‘We want Jewish genocide’ at pro-Palestinian protest
Our rating: False
The transcription is wrong. The group was chanting, “We charge you with genocide,” a phrase that’s been repeated at pro-Palestinian rallies around the country. Both the student group that organized the rally and the school’s student newspaper said there were no chants advocating the genocide of Jewish people. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Lebanese people scaling Israeli border wall in October 2023
Our rating: False
The video was captured in 2021. It is unrelated to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Egyptians bringing 'water, food and supplies' to Gaza
Our rating: False
The video is unrelated to the Israel-Hamas conflict and was published online before the current conflict began. There is no evidence it shows Egyptians bringing supplies to Gaza. Read more.
Claim: Image shows Benjamin Netanyahu sending son to fight against Hamas in 2023
Our rating: False
The photo dates back to 2014, when the prime minister's youngest son, Avner Netanyahu, began his mandatory military service. It was not taken during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Read more.
Claim: Image shows the Las Vegas Sphere lit up with an image of the Israeli flag
Our rating: Altered
The venue debunked the claim in a post on X, saying the viral image is altered. Read more.
Claim: Video shows pro-Palestine march in Chicago in October 2023
Our rating: False
The video shows a 2021 march in support of Palestine in Chicago. It's unrelated to the Israel-Hamas war that began in October. Read more.
Claim: Iran’s parliament recently chanted 'Death to Israel' and 'Death to America'
Our rating: False
The video is from 2020, not a response to the current Israel-Hamas conflict. It shows Iranian lawmakers protesting the U.S. drone strike that killed Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani. There are no credible reports that any of those chants mentioned Israel. Read more.
MISCAPTIONED COMBAT FOOTAGE AND PICTURES
Claim: Photo shows 'corpse' using phone in Gaza
Our rating: False
The photo is from a Halloween event in Thailand. It is unrelated to the conflict in Gaza. Read more.
Claim: Egypt has sent ‘hundreds of tanks’ into Gaza to fight Israel
Our rating: False
There are no credible reports of Egypt joining the war or sending troops into Gaza. Read more.
Claim: The Wall Street Journal reported American-made MK-84 bomb caused Gaza hospital explosion
Our rating: False
There is no reference to an MK-84 bomb in the Wall Street Journal’s reporting on the hospital blast. A company spokesperson said the claim is false. Read more.
Claim: Hamas surrendered and Gaza now belongs to Israel
Our rating: False
As of Oct. 20, the Israeli military has not seized Gaza, and Hamas has not surrendered. The Israel-Hamas war is ongoing, according to numerous news outlets. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Israel's new Iron Beam laser defense system being fired in October 2023
Our rating: False
Defense experts say the Iron Beam is not shown in the video and is not yet operational. There are no credible reports of the air defense system being used in combat. Read more.
Claim: Photo shows Palestinian children killed in Israel-Hamas war
Our rating: False
This photo predates the Israel-Hamas war that began in October by more than a decade. It was taken after a chemical weapons attack in Syria in 2013. Read more.
Claim: Video shows CNN faking coverage of a rocket attack in Israel
Our rating: Altered
The video combines authentic footage with an audio track added by a "social commentary" YouTube channel. A CNN spokesperson said the audio was not genuine. Read more.
Claim: Video shows children held hostage in cages during the Israel-Hamas conflict
Our rating: False
The video is unrelated to the Israel-Hamas conflict and was published online before the current conflict began. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Israeli airstrike destroying Gaza tower in October
Our rating: False
The video is miscaptioned. It shows an Israeli airstrike that destroyed a building in Gaza in May 2021. Read more.
Claim: Video shows a child’s injuries being faked in Israel-Hamas conflict
Our rating: False
The video shows a behind-the-scenes clip from a short film that was released online in April 2022, almost 18 months before Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Social media users have previously shared it while claiming it showed actors fabricating videos of other acts of violence. Read more.
Claim: Video shows rockets fired during 'new air assault' against Israel
Our rating: False
The video is miscaptioned. It shows rockets fired at Israel from Gaza during a conflict in May 2021. Read more.
Claim: Israel ‘bombed and destroyed’ the third oldest church in the world
Our rating: False
The post shows the Saint Porphyrios Orthodox Church in Gaza. As of Oct. 9, the church said it had not been damaged and that it was open to worshipers and refugees. Read more.
Claim: Video shows missile attacks by Hamas against Israel
Our rating: False
The video is miscaptioned. It has been online since 2020 and appears alongside references to a conflict in Syria. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Hamas fighters parachuting into Israel
Our rating: False
The video has been on the internet since at least September, predating the Hamas attack on Israel in October. It is unrelated to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Israeli airstrike on Gaza following Hamas attacks in October
Our rating: False
The video predates the 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: Post implies video shows Israel shooting down a Hamas fighter plane
Our rating: Missing context
The implied claim is false. The footage is from the video game "Arma 3" and does not show actual combat. Read more.
Claim: Video shows Israeli generals captured by Hamas fighters
Our rating: False
The video shows several leaders of an Azerbaijani separatist group after they were arrested, not Israeli generals. The arrests took place four days before the Hamas attack on Israel. Read more.
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Our fact-check work is supported in part by a grant from Facebook.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Roundup: What's true and what's false about the 2023 Israel-Hamas war
