FACT CHECK: No, X Video Does Not Show Israeli Soldiers Inside One Of Hamas’ Tunnels

Christine Sellers | Fact Check Reporter

A video shared on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, purports to show Israeli soldiers inside one of Hamas’ tunnels.

Verdict: Misleading

The video, which was originally shared on X in August 2023, appears to show Israeli soldiers raiding a weapons manufacturing workshop in Ramallah.

Fact Check:

The Israeli military released a video indicating Hamas appears to have hidden weapons and hostages in the basement of Rantisi Children’s Hospital in Gaza, according to the Times of Israel. An investigation is currently underway to determine if Hamas did, in fact, hold hostages at the location, the outlet reported.

The X video purports to show Israeli soldiers inside one of Hamas’ tunnels. “Breaking: Israeli soldiers reportedly discovered in one of the Hamas tunnels. The situation is unfolding; stay tuned for updates. #Israel #Hamas #BreakingNews,” the video’s caption reads. In the video, the soldiers can be seen surveying a large stockpile of weapons.

The soldiers are not inside one of Hamas’ tunnels, however. Check Your Fact conducted a keyframe analysis to trace the original source of the video. Using this analysis, we first discovered a Nov. 13 X post which included a photo of weapons matching the video’s frame at around 20 seconds. The photo appears to stem from a post made by an Italian social media user featuring the caption “Il tunnel sotto l’ospedale.”

An advanced X search using this phrase then generated a Nov. 12 post featuring an image matching that of the video’s opening frame. A closer look at the image shows a date stamp of Aug. 31, 2023. In addition, the post’s original author appears to be an individual named Hanan Amiur.

Using these details, we found the video first posted by Amiur on Aug. 31. According to its caption, the video was filmed in Ramallah.

“Caught today in Ramallah. A fitting formal parable to mark the 30th anniversary of Oslo – the most serious and disastrous mistake in the history of the Zionist enterprise,” the video’s caption reads.

A Times of Israel article published on the same day indicates that Israeli forces raided a Palestinian weapons manufacturing workshop in the West Bank. A 26-year-old individual wanted for weapons dealing and building firearms at the workshop, was arrested as a result of the raid. (RELATED: Russia Today Report Showing Tunnels In Gaza Is From 2021)

Likewise, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not publicly commented on the claim made in the X video.

Check Your Fact has contacted the IDF for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.

Christine Sellers

Fact Check Reporter

Trending

FACT CHECK: Did U.S. Bank Stadium End The Sale Of Meat And Dairy Products?
FACT CHECK: Post Claims To Show Giant Bones Of Hawaii