Scientific research reveals a troubling link between the spread of misinformation and the escalation of humanitarian crises. False claims and misleading information often surge during critical moments, such as health pandemics, wars, and natural disasters.
Misinformation can profoundly affect lives worldwide, often with devastating consequences. In severe cases, rumors and falsehoods can prove fatal, highlighting the critical need for accurate information during crises.
This article examines the dangerous role of misinformation in humanitarian emergencies, focusing on two key examples: the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Gaza. By analyzing prominent rumors and their tangible impacts, we reveal how false narratives directly endanger lives.
False Claims About COVID-19 Prevention and Treatment
The COVID-19 pandemic became a breeding ground for rumors and misinformation, particularly about prevention and treatment methods. Among the most bizarre and dangerous claims was the false assertion that cocaine could cure COVID-19.
This baseless rumor gained attention in French media, prompting the French Ministry of Health to intervene. Officials issued a clear warning about the dangers of cocaine addiction, emphasizing that there was no scientific evidence to support the claim. Such misinformation not only jeopardized public health but also distracted from legitimate efforts to combat the virus.
Another sensational claim suggested that Viagra could be used to treat the virus. While this rumor quickly gained traction, it was ultimately found to be misleading.
The confusion stemmed from clinical studies conducted in 2020 at Massachusetts General Hospital in the U.S., which explored the potential role of nitric oxide—a compound involved in the production of Viagra—in mitigating COVID-19 effects. The research highlighted the therapeutic potential of nitric oxide in improving pulmonary vascular function during viral infections and other lung-related conditions.
However, the findings were far from conclusive. Researchers emphasized the need for further investigation to confirm the safety and efficacy of nitric oxide treatment for COVID-19-related endothelial dysfunction and other respiratory viral infections. They also stressed the importance of personalized therapeutic protocols to improve outcomes for critically ill patients.
This case underscores the dangers of sensationalized claims, which can distort nuanced scientific findings and create false hope during a global health crisis.
Another widely shared misconception during the pandemic claimed that drinking water every 15 minutes could keep the throat moist and flush the virus into the stomach, where stomach acid would supposedly destroy it. While this idea may have sounded plausible to some, it was ultimately proven false.
Clinical epidemiologist Kalpana Sabapathy from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine debunked the claim, calling it “so simplistic” that it defied scientific understanding. She explained that infections typically occur after exposure to thousands or even millions of viral particles, making it highly improbable that washing a few particles into the stomach would prevent illness.
Moreover, Sabapathy warned of potential risks, noting that introducing a large number of viral particles into the stomach could exacerbate harm rather than provide protection. This example highlights how oversimplified health advice can mislead the public and potentially compromise safety during a health crisis.
Misinformation during the pandemic ranged from the absurd to the outright dangerous. One claim, falsely attributed to UNICEF, suggested that avoiding ice cream could prevent COVID-19 infection. This baseless rumor spread rapidly on social media, prompting UNICEF to issue a public statement refuting the claim and distancing itself from the misinformation.
Far more perilous was a social media claim advocating the use of bleach to prevent the virus. The Blue Ridge Poison Center issued a stern warning against such advice, emphasizing its extreme dangers. Drinking bleach, they cautioned, could cause life-threatening injuries, including severe burns to internal tissues. Even applying bleach to the skin or eyes posed serious risks.
These examples highlight the urgent need for critical thinking and verified information during crises, as the spread of such dangerous claims not only misleads the public but also puts lives at grave risk.
Hundreds of Deaths Linked to COVID-19 Misinformation
The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the life-threatening consequences of misinformation, as unfounded rumors and conspiracy theories spread worldwide. One striking example came from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported a significant increase in poison control center calls related to exposure to cleaning agents and disinfectants.
To better understand this trend, the CDC conducted an online survey of 502 U.S. adults, focusing on household cleaning and disinfection behaviors during the pandemic. The findings were alarming. While 60% of respondents reported stepping up their cleaning efforts, nearly 39% admitted to engaging in hazardous practices explicitly discouraged by the CDC. These included applying bleach to food items such as fruits and vegetables (19%), using household cleaning or disinfectant products on their skin or hands (18%), spraying disinfectants directly on their bodies (10%), inhaling fumes from household cleaners (6%), and drinking or gargling diluted bleach, soap, or other cleaning solutions (4% each).
The pandemic was not only a battle against the virus but also a fight against misinformation. Unfounded rumors and conspiracy theories had catastrophic consequences, leading to hundreds of preventable deaths worldwide.
A study published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Health highlighted one particularly tragic example: the widespread belief that consuming high-concentration alcohol could disinfect the body and kill the virus. This baseless claim gained global traction, with devastating results. Nearly 800 people died, 5,876 were hospitalized, and 60 others suffered permanent blindness after ingesting methanol—a toxic form of alcohol—believing it to be a COVID-19 treatment.
In Turkey, similar false claims about alcohol curing the virus led to the deaths of 30 people. In Qatar, two South Asian men ingested a local surface and hand disinfectant after being exposed to COVID-19 patients, mistakenly believing it would protect them.
India faced a similarly dire situation when 12 individuals, including five children, became critically ill after consuming homemade liquor brewed from toxic datura seeds, locally known as ummetta. The incident was prompted by a misleading social media video falsely claiming datura seeds could provide immunity against COVID-19.
The Gaza War: Misinformation’s Role During Wars
Experts agree that wars and armed conflicts create fertile ground for misinformation, as information voids are quickly filled with false claims and propaganda. The ongoing war in Gaza exemplifies this troubling trend, with a surge of misleading narratives and disinformation campaigns. These efforts often aim to undermine the Palestinian perspective and rationalize Israeli actions against the Palestinian people in Gaza and beyond.
The war in Gaza has seen a resurgence of propaganda campaigns discrediting Palestinian narratives. Two prominent campaigns—popularized through social media hashtags—are #Pallywood and #Gazawood. These terms are often used to cast doubt on the authenticity of scenes depicting Palestinian deaths and destruction caused by Israeli bombardments.
The term "Pallywood," a blend of "Palestine" and "Hollywood," was coined in the early 2000s by American historian Richard Landes. It alleges that reports from Gaza and other Palestinian territories are fabricated, accusing Palestinians of staging events to manipulate global opinion. "Gazawood" follows a similar pattern, targeting reports specifically from Gaza.
These propaganda campaigns have spread numerous claims about the war in Gaza. However, investigations and fact-checking have shown that many of these claims are not only misleading but often baseless.
One prominent example involved a video falsely claiming to show staged injuries. The footage, initially presented as evidence of fabrication, was actually from a Lebanese short film released on October 28. The film highlighted the tragic realities faced by Gaza’s children amid Israeli aggression.
In another instance, a scene showing a wounded Palestinian surrounded by people reassuring his mother was misrepresented. Pro-occupation accounts falsely labeled the footage, which showed a bandage being removed from the man’s head to assess his injury, as staged.
A separate video falsely claimed Palestinians used makeup and chemicals to stage injuries from Israeli attacks. However, the footage, originally aired in March 2017 by the Turkish channel TRT World, featured Palestinian makeup artist Maryam Salah creating realistic injury effects as part of an artistic project. The work aimed to raise awareness about the dangers faced by Gazans, not to fabricate war wounds.
Additionally, an old photograph from a Malaysian comedy-drama was reposted with a false narrative. The image, originally part of a TV show, was misrepresented as depicting a Palestinian injured in the ongoing war in Gaza.
The term "Pallywood" has become a powerful tool for shaping perceptions, especially on social media. According to a BBC analysis, it has been widely used over the past decade, particularly on the X platform.
During previous Israeli actions in Palestine in 2014, 2019, and 2021, mentions of the hashtag "Pallywood" increased from 9,500 to 13,000 per month. However, after the outbreak of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, the hashtag surged to 220,000 mentions in a single month, the BBC reported.
The analysis showed that the term "Pallywood" was frequently used by Israeli officials, celebrities, and prominent bloggers from Israel and the United States. Its widespread use across social media highlights the significant role such terms play in framing the conflict’s narrative, often fueling misinformation and distorting public understanding.
Systematic Israeli Campaigns Targeting UNRWA
In conflict zones, access to accurate information is not just important—it can mean the difference between life and death. For civilians, it determines whether they can find safe shelter, access clean water, or identify evacuation routes.
In Gaza, where the humanitarian situation has deteriorated for years under a harsh blockade and where communication networks have been severely disrupted since the onset of the ongoing Israeli war, misinformation thrives.
This information vacuum creates fertile ground for disinformation campaigns that not only mislead the public but also undermine efforts to protect civilians. By inciting violence and eroding trust in humanitarian organizations, these campaigns make it harder for people to navigate the dangers of war and access desperately needed support. In such an environment, the consequences of misinformation are devastating, directly hampering life-saving efforts and exacerbating the suffering of an already vulnerable population.
One organization under attack is the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, or UNRWA. Since the beginning of the war in Gaza, UNRWA has reported that its buildings, staff, and operations have been directly targeted by Israeli attacks.
In August 2024, media reports revealed that Israel used paid Google advertisements to disseminate anti-UNRWA propaganda. These ads targeted users in the United States, the Middle East, and parts of Africa, aiming to tarnish the agency's reputation.
In a report released in early July, UNRWA highlighted a systematic campaign of disinformation and defamation targeting its operations in Gaza. The report accused the Israeli government of weaponizing false information to undermine and discredit the agency, stating:
“As part of its campaign to undermine and discredit UNRWA, the Government of Israel has been purchasing ads on Google to block users from donating to the agency and conducting a defamation campaign.”
UNRWA emphasized that these efforts not only tarnish its reputation but also endanger the lives of its staff members, who work under extreme conditions to deliver essential humanitarian aid.
In October 2024, Misbar uncovered a coordinated social media campaign aimed at discrediting UNRWA by falsely associating it with terrorism. Pro-Israel accounts amplified a report riddled with inaccuracies, translating it into multiple languages—including Hebrew, Arabic, English, and Spanish—to expand its reach and influence.
This campaign appears to be part of Israel's broader effort to justify its decision to ban the operations of a U.N. agency. It leveraged official digital platforms, including accounts belonging to the Israeli government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to spread the disinformation. These platforms—such as the Israeli government’s X platform account, the Foreign Ministry's account, and the accounts of Israeli embassies, ambassadors, and diplomats worldwide—serve as major sources of information for Western media outlets.
As part of ongoing efforts to undermine UNRWA, Israel has engaged in systematic disinformation campaigns to justify its targeting of the agency, according to UNRWA's latest report. The report, issued on November 18, 2024, details the devastating impact of Israeli "military operations" on UNRWA's infrastructure and personnel in Gaza.
Between October 6 and November 17, 2024, six UNRWA facilities in Gaza City and 17 in northern Gaza were directly affected by these operations. Additionally, the report revealed a staggering human toll: 247 UNRWA staff members have been killed since October 7, 2023.
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