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Anti-Palestinian Disinformation Continues to Spread Amid Fragile Gaza Ceasefire
Anti-Palestinian disinformation, propaganda and racist narratives continue to proliferate online despite the fragile ceasefire in Gaza, which has already been violated multiple times. Experts warn these narratives serve a dangerous purpose: justifying ongoing violence against Palestinian civilians.
“Anti-Palestinian disinformation and propaganda is used as a weapon to justify crimes that are being committed,” explains Jalal Abukhater, policy manager at 7amleh, the Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media.
Since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Israeli military actions have reportedly killed at least 68,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the enclave’s Health Authority. Both UN experts and the International Association of Genocide Scholars have characterized Israel’s conduct as genocide.
The spread of anti-Palestinian sentiment isn’t new but has intensified in the wake of recent conflicts. “This has its roots in colonial and Orientalist discourse,” says Asmaa El Idrissi, a lawyer and lecturer at Bochum University of Applied Sciences. “If you look at literature from 100 years ago, you will find exactly the same stereotypes that are now resurfacing against Palestinians: Arabs or Muslims as irrational and backward.”
These stereotypes gained further traction after September 11, 2001, when Arabs and Muslims were increasingly portrayed as dangerous and sympathetic to terrorism—perceptions that continue to shape public opinion and policy today.
A critical historical context for understanding anti-Palestinian sentiment is the denial of the Nakba—Arabic for “catastrophe”—which refers to the mass displacement and dispossession of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. When Israel was declared a state on Palestinian land on May 14, 1948, more than 800,000 Palestinians were driven from their homes, and at least 15,000 were killed, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
“It’s clearly the denial of the Nakba as a core narrative for delegitimizing any demand for equal rights and a free life,” El Idrissi explains, emphasizing that combating disinformation requires education and historical awareness.
One of the most persistent false narratives is the conflation of all Palestinians with Hamas. While Hamas is indeed classified as a terrorist organization by many Western countries, including the EU and Germany, this generalization is used to justify collective punishment of Palestinian civilians—a clear violation of international law.
“What we are dealing with here is collective punishment, which is essentially untenable under international law,” El Idrissi notes.
This conflation has serious consequences for media coverage. Abukhater points out how civilian deaths in Gaza are often downplayed: “When a car or a tent in Gaza gets bombed or targeted, someone would say that maybe there was a Hamas person in that vehicle where five children have been killed. And that would be enough for them to say: Let’s move on to the next story.”
The dehumanization of Palestinians is further amplified by racist rhetoric. Palestinian researcher Hanan Sahmoud highlights how European media have often “depicted Palestinians as savages.” On social media, users regularly describe Palestinians in dehumanizing terms, and there are examples of Israeli officials doing the same. In October 2023, then-Israeli defense minister Yoav Gallant said, “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip… We are fighting human animals and we act accordingly.”
Experts agree that such dehumanization reduces empathy for Palestinian suffering. “All of this leads to what is known as an empathy gap, which in turn leads to a justification for unequal treatment,” El Idrissi explains.
This dehumanization was further fueled by targeted disinformation regarding the famine in Gaza in 2025. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed there was no famine, suggesting children only looked malnourished because of pre-existing illnesses rather than Israel’s blockade of food and humanitarian aid.
The issue extends to Germany, where pro-Palestinian protesters have faced significant police violence. “We are alarmed by the persistent pattern of police violence and apparent suppression of Palestine solidarity activism by Germany,” UN experts stated in a press release on October 16.
Media coverage often compounds these problems. An analysis of nearly 5,000 German media headlines between October 2023 and January 2025 revealed that many outlets rely primarily or exclusively on official Israeli sources without appropriate cross-referencing or fact-checking.
Social media platforms also play a significant role in amplifying anti-Palestinian content. An investigation by DW Fact check and European News Spotlight revealed that Israel spent at least €42 million ($49 million) on anti-Palestinian propaganda ads. On the same day the UN announced that large parts of Gaza were experiencing a “man-made famine,” the Israeli Government Advertising Agency launched a campaign denying its existence.
Meta (owner of Facebook and Instagram) has recently scaled back third-party fact-checking programs in many countries, while investigations show the company’s ad systems approved and profited from violent and inciting content by accepting it as paid advertising. Recent reports also indicate Israel has invested at least $6 million to train AI systems like ChatGPT to provide responses favorable to its positions.
To combat anti-Palestinian propaganda and racism, Abukhater emphasizes the need to give Palestinians agency in telling their own stories. “Palestinians are often spoken about, and Palestinians don’t speak for themselves across many media outlets,” he says, adding that media must examine personal and structural biases. “There should be more discussion on anti-Palestinian racism, recognizing it as a concept, looking at the semantics and how it’s used generally to dehumanize, to accuse all Palestinians.”
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12 Comments
The escalation of violence driven by anti-Palestinian disinformation is extremely troubling. Justifying crimes against civilians is unconscionable. I hope the international community takes decisive action to hold those responsible accountable and put an end to these practices.
Agreed. The human toll of this conflict is staggering. Upholding international law and human rights must be a priority in addressing this crisis.
This is a deeply concerning issue that requires urgent attention. The use of disinformation to justify violence against civilians is abhorrent and must be condemned in the strongest possible terms. I hope the international community takes swift and decisive action to address this crisis.
I agree completely. Combating disinformation and protecting human rights should be top priorities. The stakes are too high to allow these dangerous narratives to continue spreading unchecked.
The link between anti-Palestinian disinformation and escalating violence is deeply troubling. Propaganda that dehumanizes and demonizes people is unacceptable and can have devastating consequences. Robust fact-checking and accountability are critical.
I agree, this is a complex and sensitive issue. It’s crucial that we approach it with nuance, empathy and a commitment to the truth, rather than allow misinformation to fan the flames of conflict.
This is a complex and highly charged topic. I’m curious to learn more about the specific narratives being used and how they intersect with colonial and Orientalist discourses, as the article suggests. Gaining a deeper understanding of the historical and social context is important.
You raise a good point. Digging into the roots and propagation of these harmful narratives is key to addressing the problem effectively. Rigorous research and analysis will be vital.
As the article notes, anti-Palestinian disinformation has a long history rooted in colonial and Orientalist thinking. It’s critical that we confront these deep-seated biases and work to dismantle the systems that propagate them. Only then can we hope to achieve a just and lasting peace.
Well said. Addressing the underlying ideologies and power structures that enable this kind of dehumanizing rhetoric is essential. Meaningful progress will require sustained, collaborative effort.
This is a concerning issue. Disinformation can have very real and tragic consequences, especially when it fuels violence against vulnerable populations. I hope the authorities take strong action to address the spread of these harmful narratives.
You’re right, disinformation is a serious threat that needs to be tackled head-on. Fact-checking and media literacy are so important to counter these dangerous falsehoods.