An image shared on X, formerly Twitter, purports to show a French sniper deployed to the Gaza Strip as a result of the current Israel-Hamas War.

A Qassam sniper in Khan Younis killed mercenary “Varker Nrusker,” the most dangerous sniper in the French special forces unit deployed to the Gaza Strip.#gaza | #Israel | #GazaStrip pic.twitter.com/KWR3smveHM

— FOEJ World (@FoejWorld) February 27, 2024

Verdict: False

The claim is false. The image was originally shared on Flickr in 2005 and shows an American sniper in Iraq, according to Misbar.

Fact Check:

Israel is demanding the names of the hostages that are still purportedly being held by Hamas, according to BBC News. The news comes amid talk of a potential truce between Israel and Hamas that could occur as soon as the next 24 to 48 hours, the outlet reported.

The X image, viewed over 200 times, purports to show a French sniper deployed to the Gaza Strip as a result of the current Israel-Hamas War. “A Qassam sniper in Khan Younis killed mercenary ‘Varker Nrusker,’ the most dangerous sniper in the French special forces unit deployed to the Gaza Strip,” the post’s caption reads.

The claim is false, however. Check Your Fact conducted a reverse image search and traced the image back to the photo-sharing website Flickr, where it was uploaded in 2005. “Doc Arnold is checking some people out across the river with a powerful sniper rifle,” the image’s caption reads. A geotag included on the photo indicates it was taken in Al Anbar, Iraq. (RELATED: No, Canadian Passport Application Did Not Remove Palestine As Country Of Birth Option)

Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the image referenced in any recent credible news reports about the Israel-Hamas War. In fact, the opposite is true. Misbar also reported that the image was originally uploaded to Flickr in 2005 and showed an American sniper in Iraq.

Additionally, the claim is neither referenced on the website for France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces nor its verified social media accounts.

Check Your Fact has contacted France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.