A viral video falsely claims to show Hamas fighters shooting at humanitarian airdrops over Gaza. Please FactCheck reveals it’s a collage of two unrelated clips.
Claim
According to a post on X (formerly Twitter), the video allegedly shows Hamas fighters shooting at humanitarian aid airdrops. The video begins in a barbershop, where several men rush outside amid the sound of gunfire. The camera then pans up to two planes flying over an urban area, releasing aid packages attached to parachutes. One post captions it: “Idiot Gazans firing at aid airdrop yesterday.. how do people get so dumb?” This video has amassed millions of views across multiple languages and platforms.
Fact
Please FactCheck: False
The video is digitally manipulated and does not depict Hamas fighters shooting at humanitarian airdrops. It consists of two unrelated clips edited together.
- A reverse image search of the barbershop scene reveals it is from a video dating back to at least 2022. Modified versions have circulated online, enhanced with added sound effects like gunfire, sirens, and screams. The footage features digital edits, including clouds shaped like praying hands or an angel figure.
- The second segment, showcasing the airdrop, has been circulating since late September 2024, devoid of gunfire sounds, and lacks verified date and location context. It was previously misattributed as showing ‘Israel’s deadly commandos’ landing in Lebanon.
Context
Israeli officials report that humanitarian airdrops have occurred over Gaza 126 times from February to September 2024, with recent operations supported by the UAE. However, incidents of malfunctioning parachutes have resulted in fatalities, including a 3-year-old boy.
Although the video may depict one of these humanitarian airdrops, its connection to a specific operation remains unverified. As conditions in Gaza worsen amid military operations, aid access is critically restricted, with only four of 70 intended shipments cleared through Israeli checkpoints in recent weeks.
Humanitarian organizations have condemned Israeli policies for blocking essential resources like food, medicine, and fuel, asserting that Israel is utilizing starvation as a warfare tactic. While U.S. officials have urged Israel to facilitate aid deliveries, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denies blocking food, claiming Hamas misuses humanitarian aid.