Collection

18 Miscaptioned Videos from the Israel-Hamas War

The Israel-Hamas war brought with it a multitude of improperly captioned videos. Here's what we've been delving into.

Published Nov 23, 2023

Counter-protesters hold an Israeli flag across the street from the main pro-Palestinian protest before a march through Midtown Manhattan during a protest calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) (Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Image Via Michael Nigro/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Since early October 2023, when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched its surprise attack on Israel, we’ve noticed a wave of footage on social media supposedly showing the war or people's reaction to it — when, in reality, the videos aren't what they claim to be.

To alert readers of these types of misleading posts, we apply a “Miscaptioned” rating — a label for footage that is real and not the product of AI or other digital-editing tools, though being shared with incorrect or misleading descriptions.

But what if a video you’re watching hasn’t been fact-checked by Snopes? As we’ve shared before, it’s a good practice to pause and assess the footage absent its alleged descriptions or captions. Those can take the form of text overlays on the footage or writing attached to the video (Instagram or Reddit thread captions, for instance). Once you’ve watched the video on its own terms, then consider the captions. Do they match your own interpretation of the footage?

A good principle: Try not to let other social media users influence your perception of what you see. And, whenever you’re unsure about something, refer to credible sources like Snopes. Remember, some groups post with the intentional goal of misinforming the populace for financial gain.

Here’s a sampling of videos related to the Israel-Hamas war that circulated recently with incorrect, or misleading, captions:

A video of an injured Palestinian man in a hospital with a head bandage and possibly his mother was passed around on X with false captions that claimed it was fake and had crisis actors in so-called Pallywood.
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People stand in an street. On the ground is a fire.
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A video did not show UCLA students shouting we want Jewish genocide.
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A miscaptioned post on X from Matt Wallace claimed that a video showed US Marines landing in Israel.
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A video reposted in 2023 purportedly showed an Israeli airstrike hitting Gaza and causing a building to collapse but was recorded in 2021.
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Three planes are on a large ship. People are also on the ship, with many gathered towards the left side of the boat.
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A video purportedly showed a puppy shaking and refusing to eat after hearing an Israeli airstrike hit Gaza.
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A video did not show the Israeli embassy in Bahrain being attacked and burned down with Molotov cocktails in October 2023.
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A video claimed that students at the University of Pennsylvania attending a pro-Palestine demonstration chanted the words we want Jewish genocide.
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A video purportedly showed a man waving a Palestinian flag in New York traffic on the Long Island Expressway, but in reality the flag was that of Puerto Rico.
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A video purportedly showed a Hamas militant in a paraglider flying into a high-voltage electric power line.
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A Palestinian boy lies on the ground. People stand around him . You can see a film camera above him.
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A video purportedly shows Palestinian children in chicken coop cages during the war between Israel and Hamas, or children from the other side.
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