AI-Generated Image of a Bombed UNRWA School in Gaza Goes Viral
The Claim
A school in Gaza today. Bombed to pieces with US and British bombs and not a word from any leaders.
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During the ongoing barbaric Israeli war on Gaza, social media users widely circulated an image purporting to show the aftermath of an Israeli airstrike on a UNRWA school in Gaza.
An X user shared the image, along with the caption, “A school in Gaza today. Bombed to pieces with US and British bombs and not a word from any leaders.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral image and found it to be fake.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the image making the rounds to be AI-generated.
AI-Generated Image of a Bombed UNRWA School in Gaza
Contrary to social media users' claim, the image is not real, it was generated using artificial intelligence software.
ISLAM NOUR, an AI artist, uploaded the image to his Instagram account six days ago. The image’s caption reads, “Civilians are the targets of the most dirty army in the world. Stop genocide. Ceasefire now. Save Gaza. free Palestine.”
As indicated in the bio, the account belongs to a designer who creates AI-generated images using various AI tools.
The pro-Palestine designer also published another AI-generated image showing a bombed UNRWA school. The image’s caption reads, “The death toll from the Israeli bombing on the gate of a school housing displaced people in Abasan, Khan Yunis, has risen to 29 martyrs.”
Moreover, the same designer created a viral AI-generated image of Dawlat Al Tanani, an elderly Palestinian woman who was attacked by an Israeli military dog in the Jabalia camp. This image was widely circulated on social media platforms and media outlets at the time.
AI-Generated Images Arise Amid the Israel-Gaza War
AI image generators like DALL-E and Midjourney have gained popularity due to their user-friendly nature, allowing anyone to create new images through text prompts. Although generative AI is currently most commonly used for multiple purposes, its technology is rapidly becoming more sophisticated.
Amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, social media users have widely shared AI-generated images on various platforms. However, the dissemination of such content risks obscuring the actual reality.
Misbar's investigative team has been working tirelessly to debunk these fake AI-generated images and verify their authenticity.
Israel Bombed 70% of UNRWA Schools in Gaza
On July 16, the U.N.'s Palestine refugee agency reported that 70 percent of its schools in Gaza had been bombed, resulting in the deaths of 539 and the injuries of 1,708 people sheltering on its premises.
Since the beginning of the war, there have been 458 incidents impacting UNRWA premises and the people inside them, including at least 74 incidents of military use and/or interference at UNRWA locations.
These incidents have affected 189 different UNRWA installations, either through munitions impacts or armed actor interference.
Israel’s War on Gaza Intensifies
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that at least 64 people have been killed and 105 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza in the past 24 hours. Many victims remain under rubble and on roads, with civil defense crews unable to reach them.
Since the start of Israel's war on Gaza, at least 38,983 people have been killed and 89,727 wounded.
Meanwhile, several countries are calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory following a landmark International Court of Justice ruling.
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