Iraqi Sketch Comedy Circulated as Gazans Faking Injuries
The Claim
Actor in Gaza pretends to be a “victim” but accidentally uses the wrong foot while limping with a supposed broken foot. Why would they need to act if there was an actual genocide?
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Pro-Israel users circulated a video clip claiming to feature a Palestinian victim limping on the wrong foot despite an alleged injury.
Social media trolls spread the video as part of a baseless propaganda campaign to downplay Palestinian suffering. An X user shared the video and claimed, “Actor in Gaza pretends to be a “victim” but accidentally uses the wrong foot while limping with a supposed broken foot. Why would they need to act if there was an actual genocide?”
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar investigated the viral video 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 Gaza.
Iraqi Comedy Clip Falsely Linked to Gaza
Contrary to social media users’ viral claim, the video does not show individuals from Gaza faking injuries to attract global attention during Israel's brutal war on Gaza.
Misbar’s team traced the video back to its original source on Instagram, where an Iraqi user named “x_hayder_r” posted it a few days ago, amassing over 57 million views.
The account’s bio reveals that it belongs to an Iraqi man, who runs a cosmetics business based in Baghdad, Al-Kadhimiya Branch, Bab Al-Darwaza.
Moreover, Misbar’s team found another video featuring the same individual from the exploited footage, confirming that the clip was shot in Iraq and unrelated to Gaza.
He stated that he created the video for comedy purposes and criticized Israeli accounts for misusing it to downplay Palestinian suffering.
Pallywood and Gazawood Disinformation Campaigns
Experts argue that “Pallywood” is a derogatory term aimed at dismissing the genuine suffering of Gaza’s civilians, dehumanizing Palestinians by framing their suffering as staged acts.
While “Pallywood” reflects an older propaganda narrative against Palestinians, “Gazawood” gained traction amid the ongoing Israeli war on Gaza.
BBC Verify’s analysis reveals that mentions of “Pallywood” on social media surged to their highest levels over the past decade, particularly on X. During past escalations in 2014, 2018, and 2021, mentions ranged from 9,500 to 13,000 per month. Following October 7, mentions skyrocketed to 220,000 in November.
Campaigns like “Pallywood” and “Gazawood” demonstrate how confirmation biases lead users to dismiss factual media reports and deny clear evidence of civilian suffering in Gaza.
Ongoing Israeli Assaults on Gaza
Israel continues to launch attacks on homes and schools across the Gaza Strip, killing and injuring several civilians.
Early Saturday dawn Israeli raids killed four members of the Saadallah family in Jabalia, two individuals in a school northeast of Gaza City, and one person sheltering in a tent south of Khan Younis, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa.
Later that day, the Israeli military targeted Al-Majida Wasila School in the northern Al-Rimal neighborhood, killing seven people.
A separate drone attack on civilians at the Jalaa Junction northwest of Gaza City killed one woman and injured several others, while another airstrike west of Al-Nuseirat camp claimed another life.
Wafa also reported a drone strike injuring five civilians in the Al-Mawasi area west of Rafah city.
These attacks follow Friday’s massacre in Al-Nuseirat refugee camp. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 36 people, mostly from the al-Sheikh Ali family.
The Gaza Health Ministry reported the death toll in Gaza has risen to 44,930 since October 7. The ministry also stated that Israeli attacks injured over 106,624 others.
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Fact-Checkers Uncover Pallywood and Gazawood Disinformation Campaigns
