These Photos Do Not Feature Female Ukrainian and French Soldiers Participating in the War on Gaza
The Claim
These photos show Female Ukrainian and French Soldiers Participating in the War on Gaza.
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Recently, social media users widely circulated two photos purporting to feature Ukrainian and French female soldiers allegedly recruited by the Israeli occupation to fight in Gaza amid the current war.
Users also claimed that the female soldiers were found in a military barracks after being held captive by the Palestinian resistance. Other users claimed that the mentioned soldiers were allegedly subjected to rape and subsequently killed.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar conducted an investigation into the widely shared photos and found the claim to be misleading.
Through a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the photos making the rounds to be outdated and unrelated to the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.
The Photos Are Not of Ukrainian and French Soldiers Serving in the Israeli Army
Contrary to the widespread claim, the photos do not show Ukrainian and French soldiers who were serving in the Israeli occupying forces before being sexually assaulted and fatally attacked by the Palestinian resistance.
The first photo is outdated, and it displays female soldiers serving in the Israeli Occupying Forces. The photo was uploaded to the Pinterest website in 2012.
The same photo was also featured in a blog about the Israeli Army female soldiers on April 18, 2022.
The second photo is also misleading. The original photo shows female Israeli soldiers. A reverse image search led Misbar's team to the first publisher of the photo on Facebook.
An Israeli account under the translated name "Israeli Girls" published the photo on November 5, 2013.
Israel Deploys Foreign Mercenaries in Gaza
Recent disclosures from a French lawmaker and the South African government, coupled with media accounts of a Spanish mercenary in the Israeli army, have sparked a discussion on Israel's alleged deployment of many foreign mercenaries in its ongoing assaults on the Gaza Strip since October 7.
On December 7, Abu Obaida, spokesperson for Hamas' military wing, asserted that the number of Israeli soldiers killed by resistance surpassed official Israeli military reports, prompting suspicions of potential mercenary involvement in Gaza.
Beyond the Al-Qassam Brigades' concerns, there are appeals in the French parliament for the prosecution of dual French citizens fighting alongside the Israeli army in Gaza. South Africa has also threatened legal action against its citizens supporting the Israeli army in Gaza, confirming the presence of mercenaries assisting Tel Aviv in its struggle against the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.
An interview with a Spanish mercenary in the Israeli army by Spain's El Mundo newspaper presents compelling evidence of Israel employing a group of mercenaries, each receiving a weekly payment of about $4,300.
Furthermore, French radio reports indicate that around 4,185 French-Israeli dual citizens have enlisted in the Israeli army for the Gaza war.
Ongoing Israeli Offensive in Gaza Kills Over 30,000 Palestinians
Since October 7, Israel has killed at least 30,717 Palestinians and wounded 72,156 in Israeli attacks in Gaza. Despite ongoing Israeli assaults, people in Gaza anxiously await the outcome of ceasefire talks.
In a concerning development, the World Food Programme (WFP) disclosed that Israel's military denied entry to an aid convoy destined for north Gaza. The WFP emphasizes the critical need for road access to Gaza's north to prevent famine for more than 57,600 people in Gaza.
Israeli airstrikes continue, targeting regions in Rafah, Khan Younis, and central Gaza.
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