dw.com
Israel's Disinformation Campaign During Gaza Blockade
A joint investigation by Eurovision News Spotlight and DW Fact Check reveals that Israel spent at least €42 million on international ad campaigns to shape public opinion, denying the existence of famine in Gaza despite UN reports confirming widespread hunger.
- How did Israel's ad campaigns attempt to shape public perception of the famine in Gaza?
- Israel's ad agency created videos showing seemingly well-stocked markets and restaurants in Gaza, implying no widespread hunger. These videos, viewed over 18 million times across multiple European languages, were promoted via paid advertising on official channels, targeting viewers in several European countries and the US. DW Fact Check, however, found that the videos used older footage and that even open restaurants charge exorbitant prices for food unaffordable to most Gazans.
- What is the core finding of the investigation into Israel's use of its advertising agency?
- The investigation revealed that Israel spent at least €42 million since June 2025 on YouTube and X (formerly Twitter) ad campaigns to counter negative narratives about its actions, particularly regarding the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. These campaigns, part of a broader public diplomacy strategy known as "Hasbara," actively deny the existence of famine in Gaza, despite UN reports confirming widespread hunger.
- What are the broader implications of Israel's actions, and what is the international response?
- Israel's actions demonstrate a calculated effort to manipulate public perception amidst a humanitarian crisis. The campaign's targeting of Google searches for "IPC famine," coupled with the denial of the UN's findings, suggests a deliberate attempt to undermine international efforts to address the crisis. Experts note a concerning increase in disinformation favoring Israel's narrative, raising international concerns and accusations of potential genocide due to the scale of civilian casualties in Gaza.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a clear bias against Israel's actions in Gaza. The framing emphasizes the misleading nature of Israel's advertising campaign, highlighting the discrepancies between the campaign's portrayal of food availability and the reality of widespread hunger and high prices. The headline, if included, would likely reinforce this negative portrayal. The article uses strong words like "misleading," "deceptive," and "propaganda" to describe the campaign. However, the inclusion of counterpoints from Israeli officials and the acknowledgement of Palestinian misinformation attempts shows an attempt at balanced reporting, mitigating the severity of the framing bias.
Language Bias
The article employs strong language to condemn Israel's actions, using terms like "misleading," "deceptive," and "propaganda." While these terms reflect the investigative findings, they lack neutrality. Alternatives could include: "inaccurate," "potentially misleading," or "public relations campaign." The repeated use of phrases such as 'widespread hunger' and 'humanitarian crisis' also leans toward emotional language rather than objective observation. More neutral language, like 'food insecurity' or 'acute malnutrition', might be considered in subsequent reporting.
Bias by Omission
While the article extensively covers evidence of Israel's campaign to downplay the famine, it might benefit from including additional perspectives. For instance, a direct quote from an Israeli official explaining the rationale behind the campaign's messaging could provide greater context. Similarly, exploring the reasons behind the Palestinian spread of misinformation could offer a more balanced narrative, though acknowledging the asymmetry in scale between the two. The omission of details about the broader political context surrounding the conflict might also impact the reader's understanding. The piece could benefit from including more details about the ongoing conflict, the history of the blockade, and the roles of other actors involved. This omission could be attributed to space and audience attention constraints, however.
False Dichotomy
The article doesn't explicitly present a false dichotomy, but it implicitly frames the situation as a struggle between Israeli misinformation and the reality of hunger in Gaza, thus potentially neglecting the complex geopolitical factors and humanitarian challenges beyond a simple 'truth vs. lie' narrative. The article should avoid suggesting that the presence or absence of some open restaurants is a simple refutation of the claim of famine, which is a more complex issue.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article directly addresses the issue of hunger in Gaza, highlighting how the Israeli government is spending millions on advertising campaigns to deny the existence of famine despite UN reports confirming a famine level 5 crisis. The campaigns actively spread misinformation, distorting the reality of food scarcity and exorbitant prices faced by many residents. This directly undermines efforts to alleviate hunger and achieve SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).