In 2025, the Gaza war concluded, yet disinformation campaigns surrounding the conflict continued unabated. These campaigns focused on denying documented atrocities, minimizing humanitarian crises, and discrediting journalists and witnesses. Misbar, a fact-checking organization, worked throughout the year to expose numerous misleading narratives, primarily from Israeli officials and channels.
One of the most pervasive themes was the denial of famine and starvation in Gaza amidst UN warnings, with Israeli officials disputing verified reports of widespread malnutrition and claiming inaccurate metrics. Despite the United Nations declaring a famine in Gaza City in August, Israeli leaders rejected this claim, alleging that reports were biased or false.
Disinformation efforts also discredited journalists documenting the war, leading to threats against them. For instance, photojournalist Hassan Eslaiah was killed following a smear campaign, and others faced similar targeted attacks, often from organizations claiming to uphold journalistic ethics but linked to Israeli state propaganda.
Additionally, Israeli narratives sought to obfuscate civilian casualties and the impact of attacks on humanitarian responders. Misbar uncovered misleading claims about the deaths of Palestinian individuals due to Israeli actions and highlighted the challenges faced by those seeking to expose the true conditions in Gaza.
Overall, the ongoing disinformation campaigns posed risks to vulnerable populations, including children and journalists, demonstrating how misinformation adapted and evolved even in the post-war context.
