An investigation by Spanish broadcaster RTVE reveals that Israel has invested $50 million into a digital propaganda campaign aimed at denying the reality of forced starvation in Gaza. The campaign, run by Israel’s state agency Lapam, manipulates global public opinion via paid ads on major platforms, coinciding with international declarations of famine in Gaza amidst military actions that have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties.
The investigation details that from June to December 2025, $45 million was allocated specifically for ads on YouTube and Google; other platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Outbrain, and Teads received smaller amounts. Ads promoted misleading portrayals of Gaza, depicting busy markets to counter famine claims by organizations like the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC). Paid advertisements garnered over 30 million views, specifically aiming to discredit the IPC’s findings.
Lapam’s campaign also attempts to undermine critics, including UN officials, branding them as “anti-Semitic” for their criticisms. The campaign targets humanitarian organizations, directing users to Israeli government sites that label them as fronts for Hamas.
As Israel’s military operations continue, the propaganda machine works alongside physical violence to obscure the harsh realities faced by Gaza’s civilians. International condemnation of Israel’s actions has been widespread, with calls for sanctions emerging as the situation is increasingly characterized as genocide by UN investigators.
This manipulation of information reveals the challenges faced in countering state-sponsored disinformation, marking a troubling evolution in modern warfare where narratives can be distorted while atrocities are committed.
