IDF Instagram of child in crosshairs was from February
Another old photo causes outrage on social media – so how reliable are the #GazaUnderAttack images?
An image from earlier this year of a Palestinian child caught in the cross-hairs of an Israeli sniper's rifle has gone viral – again.
The picture was posted to Instagram by Israeli Defence Force soldier Mor Ostrovski in February last year and was widely discussed and condemned.
The image was initially discovered in by the news site Electronic Intifada, which reports on the conflict in Gaza from a Palestinian perspective. They described the image as "disturbing, tasteless and de-humanising" and said it promoted "the idea that Palestinian children are targets".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But following the bloodiest day of the conflict so far, the image has re-emerged on social media.
Some Twitter users were quick to point out that the image was not from the most recent outbreak of violence, but by then the picture had already been shared hundreds of times.
Some users appeared to accept that the image had been recycled, but insisted the Israeli military continued to show a similar attitude towards Palestinians.
Images from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are often re-cycled, a BBC investigation found. Some of the images under the popular hashtag #GazaUnderAttack are from previous conflicts in Gaza and others are from separate wars in Syria and Iraq.
One user who posted an inaccurate image under the hashtag told the BBC she deleted it as soon as she realised it was from Syria, but the image had already been re-tweeted countless times.
"It's disappointing that images get shared quite quickly," she said. "I guess that's the different between the internet and credible newspaper publisher where pictures are from a source."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
5 deliciously funny cartoons about turkeys
Cartoons Artists take on pardons, executions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
How much of a blow is ICC arrest warrant for Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question Action by Hague court damages Israel's narrative that Gaza conflict is a war between 'good and evil'
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?
Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Cuba's energy crisis
The Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published
-
The death of Hassan Nasrallah
In the Spotlight The killing of Hezbollah's leader is 'seismic event' in the conflict igniting in the Middle East
By The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel's suspected mobile device offensive pushes region closer to chaos
In the Spotlight After the mass explosion of pagers and walkie-talkies assigned to Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, is all-out regional war next, or will Israel and its neighbors step back from the brink?
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published