A report published by Israeli newspaper Haaretz has shed light on the alleged dissemination of misinformation by Israeli authorities regarding the Oct. 7 attacks. The investigation conducted by Haaretz revealed that some narratives promoted by Israeli officials contained significant exaggerations concerning the actions of Hamas.
The report disclosed that individuals spreading distorted narratives included senior military officials, politicians, and civil society activists, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office and his wife. Several ministries and government departments were also accused of contributing to the dissemination of false information.
The report stated, Politicians, IDF (Israel Defense Forces) officers, Zaka (community emergency response teams) volunteers, and many activists on social networks have been describing horror stories committed by Hamas terrorists since Oct. 7. While acknowledging that most of these stories were backed by evidence, the report highlighted the presence of untrue stories that inadvertently provided ammunition to those who denied the occurrence of the massacre.
Journalists Nir Hasson and Lisa Rozobsky, who authored the report, debunked various claims, including the well-known allegation that Israeli soldiers had discovered the bodies of numerous beheaded children, which had gained substantial circulation on social media platforms. The report emphasized how this narrative had evolved to include additional claims that children’s bodies had been burned or hanged.
The report further revealed that such alleged narratives, accompanied by graphic images, were even shared by an Israeli government official on social media and discussed by Prime Minister Netanyahu during his conversation with US President Joe Biden.
Another debunked story involved the alleged kidnapping of a pregnant woman by Hamas, who was rumored to have given birth while in captivity. This incident was mentioned in a letter sent by Netanyahu’s wife, Doron Neuberger, to US First Lady Jill Biden. Subsequent social media posts, however, revealed that the woman, Natthawaree Mulkan, was not pregnant.
During their investigation, Hasson and Rozobsky provided several other examples of debunked or inaccurate stories that gained significant international traction.
For instance, during a donor conference in the US, Eli Beer, the founder and president of emergency medical services organization United Hatzalah, shared a fabricated story about a child being burned to death inside an oven. The unsubstantiated story was subsequently reported by the British newspaper, the Daily Mail.
The report concluded with a warning about the repercussions of such exaggerated or inaccurate stories, which provide ammunition for those who deny the massacre and raise concerns about the credibility of information from official sources.
Haaretz’s investigation brings to light the importance of verifying and fact-checking information before its dissemination. In an era of rampant misinformation and social media influence, it becomes crucial to rely on credible sources and avoid propagating falsehoods. The report serves as a reminder of the responsibilities that lie with authorities, journalists, and individuals alike to uphold the truth and maintain the integrity of information.
As the story unfolds, it will be interesting to see how Israeli authorities respond to the accusations and whether steps will be taken to address the issue of spreading misinformation.
