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A widely circulated image purporting to show the nine children of a Gaza doctor killed in an Israeli airstrike has been debunked as outdated and potentially manipulated, according to a report by Israeli broadcaster N12 on Monday.
The photo, which gained traction on social media over the weekend, was shared in connection with claims that Dr. Alaa al-Najjar’s children were killed in an Israel Air Force (IAF) strike on Khan Yunis last Friday.
However, N12 revealed that the same image had previously appeared in Gaza-based media reports more than two months ago, raising serious questions about its authenticity.
N12 alleged that Hamas-affiliated media outlets may have intentionally recycled the image as part of a coordinated disinformation campaign aimed at generating anti-Israel sentiment.
The broadcaster further reported that images generated using artificial intelligence (AI) have also circulated on Palestinian platforms in the past 24 hours, intensifying concerns about the spread of propaganda.
While the image itself appears to have been misrepresented, N12 emphasized that there is currently no definitive evidence disproving the underlying claim that nine of Dr. al-Najjar’s children were killed.
The alleged incident remains under review by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). In a statement on Saturday, the IDF acknowledged the allegations and confirmed that it had launched a probe into reports that a drone strike may have killed non-combatants.
The military explained that the IAF had targeted armed suspects operating near Israeli forces and that the strike took place in an area that had previously been cleared of civilians.
“We take such claims seriously and are committed to investigating them thoroughly,” the IDF spokesperson told Israeli media, as previously reported by The Jerusalem Post.
This controversy unfolds amid heightened scrutiny of Israeli military operations in Khan Yunis, particularly around the Nasser Hospital.
Since the end of the ceasefire with Hamas in March, the IDF has conducted multiple raids targeting the facility, citing intelligence that Hamas operatives were using the hospital as a base of operations.
During a high-profile raid in February, IDF soldiers reported discovering stockpiles of weapons and medical supplies marked with the names of Israeli hostages, lending credence to Israel’s accusations that Hamas has used civilian infrastructure for military purposes.
The use of doctored or misrepresented imagery in conflict zones is not a new phenomenon but has become increasingly prevalent in the digital age, especially with the growing accessibility of AI tools capable of producing realistic yet fabricated content.
Analysts warn that such tactics can significantly distort public perception and complicate efforts to verify facts on the ground.
As the situation in Gaza remains fluid, international observers and media organizations continue to grapple with the challenge of distinguishing genuine reports from misinformation.
Meanwhile, the IDF’s investigation into the alleged drone strike in Khan Yunis is ongoing, with further updates expected in the coming days.