Misinformation surrounds tragic death of Gaza twins amid Israeli attacks

In a concerning turn of events, Israeli and Western social media accounts have cast doubt on the authenticity of the tragic deaths of two twins in Gaza, alleging that they are mere dolls and not real children. This skepticism emerged as part of the “Pallywood” campaign, which questions the reality of the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli war.

A video circulating on X showed a woman carrying her two children in burial shrouds, weeping over them, with claims that the twins are dolls and not real. The footage is attributed to the “Pallywood” campaign, which challenges the narrative of the Palestinian plight during the Israeli conflict.

To verify the authenticity of the video and address the allegations, the Palestinian observatory “Tahaqaq” conducted an investigation. It was confirmed that the video is real, documented by journalist Hazem Sleiman. However, it was acknowledged that the footage was exploited within a misleading context.

Hazem Sleiman clarified to “Tahaqaq” that the apparent twins in the video are Na’im and Wissam Na’im Abu Anza, along with their sister Wissam Wissam Na’im Abu Anza. They tragically lost their lives along with their father, Wissam Abu Anza, due to the shelling of their home in Rafah two days ago. Sleiman added that the woman seen in the video is their mother, who gave birth to them during the ongoing war, and they were martyred at the age of four months.

The “Tahqaq” team managed to interview the twins’ mother, Rania Abu Anza, who spoke about the targeting of her family. The video documented her holding her two children and indicated that she had waited for ten years to welcome them. Another video captured the heartbreaking moment when the mother bid farewell to her husband and children.

Despite the confirmation of the video’s authenticity, Israeli and pro-Israeli accounts continue to cast doubt on the Palestinians’ suffering in Gaza, accusing them of fabricating their hardships as part of the ongoing “Pallywood” campaign. This skepticism persists amid the continued Israeli war on the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023.