Video of Sleeping Children in Turkey Circulates Amid Gaza War
The Claim
Where and how the children of Gaza sleep on roofs.
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Emerging story
During ongoing Israeli evacuation orders in Gaza, social media users circulated a video clip purportedly showing Gaza children sleeping in an open area amid the war.
Social media users spread the video, along with the caption, “Look where and how the children of Gaza sleep.”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the circulating footage and found the claim to be misleading.
After conducting a thorough reverse image search, Misbar’s team found the video making the rounds to be unrelated to the Israel-Gaza war.
Video of Sleeping Children in Turkey Shared in Relation to Gaza
Contrary to the claim circulating on social media, the video was not filmed in Gaza during the current Israeli assault on the Strip.
The footage was originally posted by Turkish photographer Ümit Kavak on his Instagram account, depicting children sleeping outdoors in Mardin, a city in Turkey’s Mardin Province. The video was shared a few days ago with the translated caption, "The most beautiful sleep in the world."
As indicated in his account bio, the publisher is a photographer who regularly shares captivating images with his hundreds of thousands of followers.
Israeli Military Orders New Evacuations, Deepening Gaza's Civilian Crisis
The Israeli army issued orders on Friday for residents in southern and central Gaza, previously designated as humanitarian safe zones, to evacuate. In Deir al-Balah, residents reported intensified shelling and tanks breaching the city's perimeter fence.
Videos showed hundreds of families fleeing Deir al-Balah and Khan Yunis, using donkey carts, rickshaws, and various other vehicles loaded with belongings.
UNRWA, the main U.N. agency in Gaza, responded to the new evacuation orders by stating that people "remain trapped in an endless nightmare of death and destruction on a staggering scale." Meanwhile, the Palestinian Civil Defence in Gaza has urged the United Nations to pressure Israel to halt the repeated mass displacements within the enclave.
According to a statement from the Civil Defence, the latest evacuation orders in central Gaza have impacted over 450,000 people, "reopening their wounds."
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, with many more trapped under rubble and at risk of illness. The casualties include at least 40,005 deaths, among them nearly 16,500 children. In addition, more than 92,401 people have been injured, and over 10,000 are reported missing.
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