Fact-Checking | More Fake Videos About the Gaza War

These days, one of the topics being discussed on social media regarding the Gaza war is the issue of Hamas tunnels; a network of secret underground passages between the Gaza Strip and Israel. The Poligraph website, a fact-checking project of Voice of America, reports that some videos shared on social media claiming to be related to the Gaza Strip are actually old and pertain to other locations. One of these videos, which gained popularity in the past three weeks on X and other high-traffic social media platforms, was shared by a blue-checked user named 'World War Gist.' This user has the label 'Israel-Palestine War' and claims to provide 'updates on the war between Israel and Palestine.' On November 13, World War Gist shared a video of a motorcycle moving inside a tunnel, writing: 'This is Gaza; built by Hamas.' and 'Welcome to Gaza.' This post received 70,000 views and became one of the 30 most viewed tweets about Gaza tunnels. Another blue-checked user named 'Yarima 619' shared the same video on November 5, stating: 'This is Gaza,' which garnered 233,000 views. Another user, 'Nihalshokla,' shared it on the same day, adding: 'Welcome to the real Gaza. A tunnel inside the city... endless tunnels; where Hamas terrorists live. Millions can stay safe here.' This post also reached 130,000 viewers. The same video was shared on TikTok on November 1 by 'World.Gringo23Dizi,' amassing over 10 million views. At least dozens of other TikTok users also reshared it, some with messages supporting Palestine. This content also spread to YouTube, Facebook, and other social media platforms. However, the point is that before Hamas attacked Israel on October 6, a longer version of this video with horror-themed captions and without geographical specifications had been shared. The original video was first shared on Instagram by a user named 'Kilin Moreno,' who describes himself as a 'digital creator and adventurous path driver.' It was captioned: 'Are you present down there? Can you take your motorcycle all the way down this path? Outside, it’s 10 degrees Celsius, down there it’s 30 degrees Celsius.' In the videos shared as Gaza tunnels, the entry section of the motorcyclist into the tunnel is omitted. Kilin Moreno did not disclose the location, but it resembles other videos on YouTube related to the Reo Ward mines; a collection of abandoned mines in Inyo County, California. Another video claimed to be related to Hamas tunnels is actually an underground shelter of a radio transmitter in Sweden. The existence of these fake videos does not mean that Hamas does not have a complex network of tunnels, including tunnels capable of accommodating vehicles. Earlier in November, Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran and a serious supporter of Hamas, stated that the length of these tunnels exceeds 400 kilometers, with sections designed for motorcycles and larger vehicles. The Israeli army estimates there are 1,300 tunnels with a total length of about 480 kilometers throughout Gaza. Gaza is a strip 41 kilometers long and 10 kilometers wide. On November 19, the Israeli army released a video claiming to show part of the Hamas tunnel network beneath Shifa Hospital. The Israeli army also released a video dated October 6, stating that it shows the militant group 'forcefully moving hostages in Shifa Hospital.' Following this, photos and videos of weapons, magazines, vests, and other items that the Israeli army claims to have found in Shifa Hospital were published. Nevertheless, Hamas and Shifa Hospital staff continue to deny the use of this medical center. Decode - using foreign policy apparatus as a source of disinformation. Fact-checking | Old video released as footage of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Attack on 300 targets in Gaza; Hamas tunnels are the main target of the Israeli army. The battle between Israel and Hamas coincides with a war of information distortion and public deception in cyberspace. Another fake video from Gaza went viral on social media. An increase in false news and fabricated images; the release of fake photos of Messi with Israeli and Palestinian flags.