Hamas-Israel War

Did Russian President Vladimir Putin declare in October 2023 that the Kremlin will "openly help to Palestine"? No, that's not true: The footage on social media used to make the claim is a clip from a 2021 recording of Putin speaking at Russia's Victory Day parade. The video predates the 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict by more than two years. Putin makes…

Does a set of nearly-identical videos on social media depict Israeli law enforcement grappling with people in October 2023 in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip or Jerusalem? No, that's not true: The footage was first posted online in April 2023. It shows clashes with Christian pilgrims in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem, not in Gaza and predates the Hamas-Israel war by more than…

Did a "Hamas crisis actor" fake a video during the Hamas-Israel conflict in October 2023 that showed him hospitalized one day and walking around OK the next? No, that's not true: The side-by-side videos on social media show two different people. Additionally, one of the videos was shot more than a month earlier -- not the day before the other…

Was a black flag that appeared over Razavi Shrine in Iran in October 2023 meant to express a "call to all of Islam for War"? No, that's not true: In this particular case, it was a symbol of mourning, as the Facebook account for the shrine itself wrote. While extremist groups have hijacked the symbolism of black flags in recent…

Does a video show Israeli police violently arresting Orthodox Jews who are protesting what a claim called "the Palestinian Genocide" -- with police purportedly enforcing new regulations that allow arrests of civilians who say things that "hurt morale"? No, that's not true: This video shows a June 5, 2023, clash between police and Orthodox Jews who were protesting mandatory conscription…

Does a video prove Palestinians are faking injuries in the October 2023 Hamas-Israel conflict? No, that's not true: The footage shown is from a 2017 documentary about film production in Gaza. The people appearing to be bloody are showcasing makeup artists' talents and are not "crisis actors" pretending to be injured in the conflict. The claim appeared in a video…

Did the Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg post a photo of herself holding a placard that reads "6 Million wasn't enough"? No, that's not true: She never posted the photo in question. Thunberg did express her pro-Palestinian stand on social media but used different words, and condemned antisemitism in subsequent tweets. The authentic photo showed her holding a sign saying,…

Does a video show helicopters from "Arab countries" flying toward Gaza in formation with their flags? No, that's not true: This video was filmed on October 4, 2023, in Veracruz, Mexico, and features an air show that was staged as part of the 202-year anniversary of the founding of the Mexican Navy. It has nothing to do with the Hamas-Israel…

Does a photo on social media show President Joe Biden sunbathing on a beach during the Hamas-Israel conflict and House speaker crisis in October 2023? No, that's not true: The picture shows the president and first lady Jill Biden at Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on August 2, 2023. While the first couple did spend the weekend of October 20, 2023 in…

Does a video show individuals setting the Israeli embassy in Bahrain on fire on October 19, 2023? No, that's not true: This video was filmed in 2012. It shows protesters throwing Molotov cocktails at a police station on the Bahraini island of Sitra as part of street violence associated with pro-democracy protests. The claim appeared in a post with an…