GAZA CITY: Amidst the ongoing Israeli brutalities against Palestinians in Gaza, Israel’s propaganda and disinformation tactics have come under scrutiny as a video featuring a purported nurse was exposed as a fake.
The video, shared by the official account of Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed to link Palestinian children and medical facilities to Hamas, justifying the ongoing military actions. The video falsely showed a nurse claiming that Hamas had taken vital medical supplies from Al-Shifa Hospital, rendering it unable to operate incubators for premature babies.
The video, which garnered thousands of retweets, faced skepticism as its authenticity came into question. The nurse in the video spoke with a non-Palestinian accent, and her narrative closely mirrored Israeli military talking points, raising doubts about her identity and role. Further investigation revealed that none of the Doctors Without Borders staff at Al-Shifa Hospital recognized her, casting a shadow over the video’s credibility.
Israeli Propaganda Exposed
The propaganda attempt included strategic placement of a Palestinian Health Ministry logo, possibly to mislead or create a false narrative. The nurse’s immaculate appearance and the use of stock audio-sounding bombing effects added to suspicions surrounding the video’s legitimacy.
International criticism followed the video’s release, prompting the Israeli Foreign Ministry to quietly delete the post without providing any explanation. This incident, however, raises concerns about the consistency and credibility of Israel’s propaganda efforts.
Experts argue that the Israeli government’s approach to spreading disinformation, followed by deletion without explanation, has become a routine practice. The question arises: Why is Israel’s military propaganda seemingly sloppy, and does it risk damaging its credibility?
The answer may lie in the proverb, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” Research indicates that a significant percentage of people do not fact-check news seen on social media, allowing false information to spread rapidly.
In Israel’s case, the target audience often consists of English-speaking Western viewers less likely to discern fake accents or question the information’s veracity.
