Misbar Investigates Misinformation Following the Gaza Ceasefire Announcement

After the Gaza ceasefire was announced on January 15, social media users spread viral misinformation regarding celebrations in Gaza, the handover of hostages, and the alleged relocation of Palestinians from Gaza. Misbar’s investigative team debunked several misleading claims.

Gaza Ceasefire Deal Between Israel and Palestinian Resistance

After 15 months of Israel’s relentless war on Gaza, a ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance took effect on January 19.

The agreement seeks to permanently end the Israeli genocidal campaign and facilitate the release of hostages held by the Palestinian resistance in Gaza in exchange for Palestinian prisoners detained by Israel.

The ceasefire was announced on January 15 and took effect four days after months of mediation by the U.S., Qatar, and Egypt.

According to the BBC, both sides approved that the first stage of the ceasefire would last 42 days, during which both sides completely halted fighting. 

Misleading Media Widely Circulated After Gaza Ceasefire Announcement

After announcing the ceasefire on January 15 and implementing it on January 19, Misbar’s team closely monitored online posts and spotted several misleading photos and videos circulating on social media.

Users falsely claimed these images and videos depicted recent events following the ceasefire deal.

Misbar Debunks Misinformation About Ceasefire Celebrations in Gaza

Social media users widely shared a video claiming to show celebrations at Al-Aqsa Mosque after the ceasefire announcement, with Hamas flags visible in the crowd.

However, Misbar’s investigation found the footage to be outdated. A YouTube video uploaded in April 2023 showed similar scenes to those in the viral clip.

Other users widely circulated a video claiming to show Hamas fighters celebrating after the ceasefire.

Misbar’s team traced the original footage to July 21, 2017. The original clip shows Hamas fighters undergoing training for a potential war with Israel.

Moreover, social media users circulated a video claiming to show the reaction of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails following the Gaza ceasefire deal. 

Misbar’s team conducted a reverse image search and determined that the footage was shot in Roumieh Prison in Lebanon, not Israel.

Pro-Israel trolls shared two images comparing a recent ceasefire celebration in Gaza to a claimed scene of Jewish survivors after the genocide, attempting to distort the reality of Gaza's suffering amid the Israeli war.

Misbar’s investigation found the image of the celebration in Gaza to date back to 2021 when a ceasefire took effect following an Egypt-brokered agreement between Israel and the Palestinian resistance that ended 11 days of the war.

Gazawood, an X account notorious for spreading Israeli propaganda and biased analysis, shared a photo featuring two images, claiming they depicted Palestinian child Mohammed Abu Luli—one showing him traumatized after intense Israeli bombardment and the other at a recent Al-Qassam Brigades parade following the Gaza ceasefire.

Misbar’s investigation found this claim to be misleading. The two photos do not both show Mohammed Abu Luli. The Palestinian child, Abu Luli, fled to Egypt for medical treatment.

Furthermore, social media users circulated a video claiming to show Israeli ministers crying during a meeting on January 17 to approve the ceasefire agreement with Hamas. 

Yet, the video was originally published on November 1, 2023, and shows Israeli Knesset members crying after leaving a session where a film was displayed, depicting scenes from Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023.

Misbar Investigates Hostages Handover Amid Gaza Ceasefire

Amid the handover of Israeli hostages in Gaza on January 19, social media users widely shared a photo claiming to show Abu Obaida, the spokesperson for Al-Qassam Brigades, during the Palestinian resistance’s release of captives.

Misbar debunked the claim, confirming that the photo predates the recent hostage exchange and is unrelated to the current events.

After Al-Qassam Brigades released three Israeli hostages on January 19, pro-Israel users widely shared another video claiming to show one of the hostages reuniting with her family.

Misbar’s team revealed that the footage was outdated. The video dates back to November 2023, when Al-Qassam Brigades released Israeli hostage Moran Stella Yanai.

Fact-Checking Misinformation on the Relocation of Palestinians from Gaza

Amid the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire deal, viral rumors circulated about the possible relocation of Palestinians from Gaza. 

After U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to discuss relocating over a million Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries, social media users widely shared a video addressed to Trump, claiming to show a Palestinian woman in Gaza rebuilding her home after the Israeli military destroyed it.

Misbar’s team traced the footage back to November 27, 2024. The video was filmed in Turkey, not Gaza.

In addition, social media users and media outlets, citing Israel’s Channel 12, claimed that the Trump administration was negotiating with the Albanian government to relocate up to 100,000 Gazans to Albania.

However, Albania’s Prime Minister, Edi Rama, dismissed the rumor on his X account, calling it “absolutely not true.”

Arab Nations Reject Trump's “Gaza Takeover” Plan

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas firmly rejected U.S. President Donald Trump's proposal for the U.S. to take control of Gaza and resettle its 2.1 million Palestinian residents elsewhere.

Countries in the region, including Jordan and Egypt, also dismissed the plan. The United Nations warned against “any form of ethnic cleansing.”

Saudi Arabia reiterated that Palestinians would “not move” from their land and reaffirmed that it would not normalize ties with Israel without the establishment of a Palestinian state.

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