FACT CHECK: Post Claims To Show Palestinians Bombed While Getting Water

Elias Atienza | Senior Reporter

An image shared on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, claims to show Palestinian civilians being bombed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) while getting water.

Verdict: False

The video was likely taken in Sudan. The original video describes it as Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fighters being attacked by the Sudanese military.

Fact Check:

Israel has targeted Gaza with airstrikes, with the Hamas-led Gaza Health Ministry claiming that deaths have risen sharply in recent days, according to The New York Times. Israel has targeted Hezbollah in Lebanon, The Washington Post reported.

Social media users have been sharing an image claiming to show the IDF bombing Palestinians gathering water. This particular post reads, “This is earlier today, Palestinians trying to get water in Gaza, the Israeli terrorist state bombed them.”

However, this claim is false. Through a reverse image and keyword search, Check Your Fact found that the video was likely taken in Sudan and was published on X Oct. 12 by an account that focuses on Sudanese news. The video itself shows what appears to be a drone dropped from a grenade on a group of people, which results in flames being ignited and spreading quickly. (Disclaimer: the tweet embedded shows imagery that some people might find disturbing or graphic.)

“An army march targeting a group of Rapid Support militia mercenaries, who gathered to refuel their motorcycles,” the tweet reads.

The video was identified as taken place in Sudan by Funker530 and BBC Verify reporter Shayan Sardarizadeh. (RELATED: Hamas Official Falsely Claims Group Did Not Kill Any Civilians)

Check Your Fact could not find footage of the IDF using drone-dropped grenades, though it is possible it has occurred in the past. The IDF has remained secretive about its use of drones, not admitting until 2022 that it had unmanned drones and used them, according to Reuters.

Footage released by the IDF usually shows missile strikes from drones and aircraft, such as this drone strike in the West Bank or an Israeli airstrike on a claimed Hezbollah vehicle. (Disclaimer: the tweet embedded shows imagery that some people might find disturbing or graphic.)

Hamas has used drones to drop rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) and other explosives on Israeli military equipment, such as tanks, according to Haaretz. Hamas recently published footage of one of its drones dropping an RPG  projectile on an Israeli Merkava tank. This footage was shared by weapons researcher Calibre Obscura on X.

Check Your Fact reached out to the IDF and experts for comment.

Elias Atienza

Senior Reporter
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