Representative Ilhan Omar, a member of the progressive ‘Squad’ from Minnesota, drew criticism for retweeting a photo of dead children with the caption “CHILD GENOCIDE IN PALESTINE.” The image purportedly claimed that these children were among the “614 Palestinian children murdered by the Israeli [IDF] forces.”
However, a community note from the platform, formerly known as Twitter, clarified that the picture was actually from a 2013 sarin gas attack in Ghouta, Syria, and not related to the Israel-Hamas conflict. This revelation raised concerns about the spread of misinformation during times of heightened geopolitical tensions.
Fellow ‘Squad’ member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, representing New York, addressed the issue of misinformation on social media related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged the prevalence of misinformation and urged her followers to exercise caution and verify information from multiple sources. She emphasized the importance of fact-checking especially when emotional reactions are triggered by claims, photos, or videos.
Ilhan Omar is called out for spreading misinformation.
Claims photo of 614 dead children were killed by Israeli Forces when in fact the murder happened 10 years ago by Assad in Syria!💥This Hamas Squad should not be in our Congress.💥 https://t.co/gH4KFb0vzl
— 🌴♥️🇺🇸Dixie ♥️s America & Trump🇺🇸♥️🌴 (@DixiDarlen) October 16, 2023
Omar, under scrutiny for sharing the misleading image, subsequently un-retweeted the post after facing criticism. Fox News contributor Guy Benson called out Omar, accusing her of falsely attributing the children’s deaths to Israel. Benson emphasized that the image was from a decade ago and took place in a different country, characterizing Omar’s action as an attempt to blame Israel for the tragedy.
Benson also highlighted the tragic reality that civilian casualties, including children, occur in conflict zones. He noted a critical distinction, asserting that Israel endeavors to avoid civilian casualties, while groups like Hamas, in contrast, actively engage in tactics that put innocent lives at risk.
Democrat Congresswoman Ilhan Omar retweets FAKE Palestinian Propaganda photo claiming to be dead Palestinian children killed by the IDF.
She Retweeted despite the original post receiving a Community Note for misinformation.
The image was from Syria in 2013. pic.twitter.com/pEIiTugONf
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) October 14, 2023
Co-host Will Cain weighed in on the incident, acknowledging the prevalence of propaganda in times of war. He expressed concern about elected leaders participating in disseminating misleading information, stating that the responsibility lies with them to share accurate information with the public. Cain underscored the difficulty faced by the public in distinguishing between propaganda and the truth during times of conflict.
