FACT CHECK: X Image Showing Baby Beside Dead Mother In Rafah Is AI-Generated
An image shared on X purports to show a baby standing beside the body of his dead mother in Rafah.
A baby is crying in Rafah. Can you see, can you hear it earth?#RafahUnderAttack#Israel #Rafah #رفح_تحت_القصف pic.twitter.com/MvsZXzoSgR
— SHAHID🇵🇸 (@Shahidawan46) May 8, 2024
Verdict: False
The claim is false. A content detection scan using the website Hive Moderation reveals the image is 99% likely to have been generated with artificial intelligence (AI). A media forensics and AI expert denied the image’s authenticity in an email to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
An Egyptian official said Egypt is considering “downgrading relations with Israel” if Israel continues its offensive in Rafah, according to CNN. Egypt has “publicly opposed” Israel’s offensive in Rafah, the outlet reported.
The X image purports to show a baby standing beside the body of his dead mother in Rafah. In the image, the child can be seen standing in a pile of rubble with a bloodied face and bloodied hands. “A baby is crying in Rafah. Can you see, can you hear it, Earth?” the post’s caption reads, adding “#RafahUnderAttack” among other hashtags.
The claim is false, however. A content detection scan using the website Hive Moderation reveals the image is 99% likely to have been generated with AI. The results of the same scan indicate the image was probably created with the program, DALL-E.
Check Your Fact reviewed the image, and the baby appears to have six fingers on one of his hands. Extra, missing, or deformed fingers are one of the hallmarks of AI-generated images, according to BuzzFeed News. In addition, the placement of the red triangle on the Palestinian flag via the boy’s shirt is off.
Screenshot captured via Hive Moderation
Likewise, Check Your Fact did not find the image referenced in any credible news reports about Israel’s recent offensive in Rafah. Actually, the opposite is true. Misbar also reported the image is AI-generated via a May 13 article. (RELATED: Video Shows Behind The Scenes Of Teledrama, Is Not Related To Rafah Offensive)
Dr. Walter Scheirer, a media forensics and AI expert from the University of Notre Dame, denied the image’s authenticity in an email to Check Your Fact.
