Alleged “breaking news” post with photos of deceased Palestinians found to be 2024 pictures
Thai PBS Verify found this piece of misinformation on: X
Thai PBS Verify investigated a post claiming to be a “breaking news” report, which was accompanied by images of deceased Palestinians. The English caption reads:
#Bigbreaking news
Please do not treat this as normal or ignore it.
Palestinians also have the right to live
The photos of deceased Palestinians are real, but decontextualized
Upon verifying the images via Google Lens, it was discovered that the photos correspond with a report from the AP news agency. The original caption states that Palestinians were mourning relatives killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip at a hospital morgue in Rafah on Monday, February 12, 2024.
The images were actually taken in Gaza in February 2024. (Photo by AP/Fatima Shbair)
This indicates that while the images depict a real event, they are not a current occurrence as claimed.
What actually happened in Rafah back in 2024
Upon conducting a further keyword search, a report by Thai PBS dated February 12, 2024, was found. It states that “Israel strikes Rafah, over 100 killed – 2 hostages rescued.(อิสราเอลถล่มเมืองราฟาห์ เสียชีวิตกว่า 100 คน – ช่วยตัวประกันได้ 2 คน)” This aligns with the information and timeframe of the AP images, which confirm the incident took place in the city of Rafah.
“On February 12, 2024, Israel launched an offensive against Rafah, located on the Egyptian border, starting in the early hours of the morning local time. This action proceeded despite international opposition and warnings from humanitarian organizations, who feared that attacking the city. Rafah was considered the final refuge for approximately 1,400,000 Palestinians in Gaza. Such action would lead to a severe humanitarian crisis.
“Meanwhile, the Hamas Ministry of Health reported that the Israeli strikes on Rafah destroyed 14 homes and 3 mosques, claiming approximately 100 lives. This brought the total death toll from the war in Gaza to 28,176.”
The latest conflict situation in Gaza
Regarding the current situation in the Gaza Strip, a report by Al Jazeera published on April 26, 2026, states that over the past week, Israel has intensified its attacks in the area. This has resulted in the deaths of at least four Palestinians across Gaza amidst violations of the ceasefire agreement reached in October.
Local doctors and health officials reported that more than 25 Palestinians were killed in the past week alone, bringing the death toll since the ceasefire began to over 800.
What is the truth?
After the examination, it was found that the “breaking news” images of deceased Palestinians on X are indeed authentic photos of an Israeli airstrike in Rafah on February 12, 2024, as reported by AP. However, the post in question recirculated these old images without specifying the timeframe and used inflammatory language, misleading the audience into believing it was a current event. The truth is that this incident occurred in the past and does not represent the latest developments.
Verification Process
- Verification via Google Lens: Upon verifying the images using the Google Lens visual search tool, It was discovered that the photos correspond with a report from AP. The caption states that Palestinians were mourning relatives killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip at a hospital morgue in Rafah on Monday, February 12, 2024. This indicates that while the images depict a genuine event, they are not a current occurrence as claimed in the post.
- Keyword search: A further keyword search revealed a Thai PBS report from February 12, 2024, titled: “Israel strikes Rafah, over 100 killed – 2 hostages rescued.” This aligns with the data and timeframe provided by the AP, confirming the incident took place in Rafah.
Potential impacts of misinformation
1. Misunderstanding of the situation: Presenting old images labelled as “breaking news” leads the audience to believe an event is happening in real-time. When past events are mistaken for the present, it results in a flawed perception of the actual conflict.
2. Triggering emotional responses and rapid sharing: Inflammatory phrases such as “Don’t ignore this” evoke strong emotions like grief, anger, or sympathy, prompting users to share the content immediately without verifying the source.
3. Creating widespread panic or misconception: When such information is widely shared on social media platforms like X, it can mislead society into believing a situation has escalated instantly, even when the facts do not support such a conclusion.
4. Eroding media credibility: When people later discover that information was inaccurate, it breeds distrust toward news in general, potentially affecting the credibility of even mainstream media outlets.
What to do with this misinformation?
- Always check if a report specifies the news agency, date, time, or a clear context. A lack of these details is often a red flag for misleading information.
- Utilize tools like Google Lens to investigate where an image originated and when the actual event took place.
- Verify information against reliable news organizations to confirm facts before believing or sharing.
- Posts labeled “breaking news” or those using emotionally charged content are often designed for rapid viral sharing. Always pause and consider the content before reacting.
- If the information cannot be clearly verified, refrain from forwarding it to avoid becoming a link in the chain of spreading misinformation within online communities.
