ADL Debunk: Myths and False Narratives About the Israel-Hamas War

In the wake of Hamas’s deadly invasion of Israel on October 7, 2023, a slew of misinformation, disinformation and conspiracy theories about the ongoing conflict are percolating on social media.  

The following is a list of false or misleading narratives and the truth of each case.  

FALSE NARRATIVE: Israel purposely coordinated Hamas’s attack 

Antisemitic influencers and conspiracy theorists claim that Israel was responsible for the Hamas attacks. On TikTok, some claimed that the Israeli government or Mossad created Hamas as part of a “Zionist plan,” alleging that the recent invasion was purposely coordinated to justify colonization or the genocide of Palestinians. White supremacist Nick Fuentes called the attack “suspicious,” suggesting Israel will “benefit from this crisis both domestically and internationally.”  

REALITY: The claim that Israel or Jews orchestrated antisemitic atrocities plays into an age-old trope about Jewish control and manipulation. The truth is that Hamas, an acronym that stands for the Islamic Resistance Movement, was founded in 1987 by members of the Muslim Brotherhood and religious factions of the PLO. The U.S.-designated terrorist organization’s charter states that they have a religious obligation to wage war on Israel.

FALSE NARRATIVE: Israel hired “crisis actors” to exaggerate the conditions of the war  

Posters on X, TikTok and other platforms allege that terror victims or reporters on the scene in Israel are “crisis actors.” In one instance, users on Telegram and X accused CNN reporter Clarissa Ward of “acting” for taking cover during a live broadcast in Israel as rockets were fired overhead. On TikTok, a different video showed a film crew surrounding an actor who was lying on the ground, alleging it was proof that Israel was planting fake victims. 

REALITY: Baseless claims about “crisis actors” are common among conspiracy theorists and are typically spread with the intent of undermining trust in the media and downplaying tragic events. There is ample documentation of Ward’s experience in Israel, which was broadcast by CNN, andSnopes identified the TikTok video in question as behind-the-scenes footage from an April 2022 short film.  
 

FALSE NARRATIVE: Armed terrorists in the U.S. are disguising themselves as Jews 

On Facebook and WhatsApp, rumors circulated that Hamas militants are already in U.S. cities, disguised as either Hasidic Jews or rabbis and hiding “a fully automatic rifle” or “an explosive vest.” Some alleged that these individuals were asking people in New York City if they were Jewish, theoretically attempting to find targets. 

REALITY: There has been no corroborating evidence or video for this claim, and law enforcement has not notified communal security professionals or the public of such a threat. This is but one of many false claims circulating about imaginary law enforcement “warnings.”

FALSE NARRATIVE: Israeli children are being held hostage in cages 

Users on platforms like TikTok, X and Telegram have shared footage from past conflicts trying to pass it off as current developments in Israel or Palestine. One frequently viewed video showed children being held in cages, and social media users claimed the children were Israeli hostages taken by Hamas. 

REALITY: This claim was dispelled by fact-checkers and journalists, who confirmed the video is not connected to the Hamas hostage-taking. Other versions of the video were circulating online before the attack, and users have previously linked it to terrorist actions in Syria and Afghanistan, among others.  

FALSE NARRATIVE: Video shows hostage taken from Supernova music festival being burned alive 

Users on platforms including X and WhatsApp shared a disturbing video of a young women being burned alive, claiming she was one of the hostages taken by Hamas at the Supernova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im. 

REALITY: While it is true that hostages were taken from that music festival, researchers have confirmed that the video in question actually shows a girl being murdered in a Guatemalan village in 2015. 

FALSE NARRATIVE: Hamas militants are planning to invade the U.S. via the southern border 

Far-right influencers and politicians are using anxiety sparked by Hamas’s attack to fuel fearmongering narratives about the U.S. southern border, alleging that Hamas “sleeper cells” are planning to infiltrate and attack cities across the country. 

REALITY: On October 11, 2023, CBS News reported that there is no evidence of Hamas militants having been arrested in recent years at the U.S. southern border, noting that the Department of Homeland Security continues to monitor and vet any potential threats against the U.S. posed by terrorist organizations. Those voicing this falsehood, including conspiratorial figures Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Laura Loomer, have expressed anti-immigrant sentiment in the past, and appear to be exaggerating the current threat to further that agenda.