“Gazawood” account was created on “X” platform (formerly Twitter) in November 2023, quickly becoming a prominent source of disinformation, doubt, and incitement against Palestinians—especially in Gaza, which has been witnessing an unprecedented assault by the Israeli occupation. The attack has resulted in over 51,000 martyrs, 116,000 wounded, and 11,200 missing persons. According to the Government Media Office in Gaza, the destruction in the Strip has reached over 88%. The Israeli occupation has also targeted 226 shelters and displacement centers and detained more than 6,600 people from Gaza.
“Gazawood” is anonymous, raising questions about who is behind it—particularly as it has stated its location as “Israel.” With more than 70,000 followers and tweets gaining hundreds of thousands to nearly a million views, the account has developed a distinct visual identity, including a custom profile picture and banner, a unique tag watermarking the videos it shares, and an outro that lists its presence on various social media platforms alongside its website.
The account claims to expose how media manipulation shapes narratives hostile to Israel and the West. It also solicits support through links embedded in its bio. However, its true intention can be inferred from its name: “Gazawood,” a blend of “Gaza” and “Hollywood,” implying that Palestinians are manufacturing staged media content to fabricate reality.
This misleading narrative is not exclusive to this account but is part of a broader campaign known as “Pallywood”—a portmanteau of “Palestine” and “Hollywood”—which aims to achieve the same objective. Kashif has debunked many of the claims spread by this campaign.
Kashif’s team has monitored and verified around 45 pieces of content published by the “Gazawood” account, investigating its operations. Often, it serves as the primary source of misleading information, which is then widely circulated by anonymous accounts and others supportive of the Israeli occupation.
How Does “Gazawood” Operate?
First: It posts real videos and images of Palestinian martyrs and wounded individuals from Gaza and the West Bank, falsely claiming they are staged or fabricated. One such example is:
“Gazawood”: Systematic Incitement Through Disinformation
The “Gazawood” account employs a series of misleading tactics to delegitimize the suffering of Palestinians and discredit documented atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank. Below is an overview of how the account operates:
1. Reposting Real Images and Videos of Victims as Allegedly Fake
- It reposts two separate videos of different Palestinian children in Gaza wearing Al-Nassr football club shirts, falsely claiming they depict the same child “acting” out an injury as part of the so-called “Pallywood” campaign.
- A genuine video of a Palestinian woman being executed by a sniper in Gaza is shared with the false claim that it’s staged.
- Authentic photos of injured Palestinians are republished under the claim that they’re staged portrayals, in line with the narrative that Palestinians fabricate casualties.
- Palestinian journalist Amro Manasrah, who was injured by live ammunition, is falsely accused of merely slipping and falling.
- A real video of a Palestinian martyr in Gaza is reused and falsely claimed to be a staged scene.
2. Reposting Behind-the-Scenes Clips from Dramas as “Proof” of Fakery
- An old behind-the-scenes video from the Palestinian series “Bleeding Soil” is circulated with the claim that Palestinians in Rafah are preparing to film fake martyrdom scenes.
- Another old video from the series “Milad Al-Fajr 2” is shared as supposed proof of Palestinians staging fake scenes in Gaza.
- Several old clips from the series Milad Al-Fajr and the music video “Damakom” are republished in misleading contexts to suggest media manipulation.
3. Misrepresenting Solidarity Videos as Alleged Palestinian Fabrications
- A solidarity video from Iraq is republished under the “Pallywood” narrative, falsely implying Palestinians are staging scenes.
- An older video from 2023, simulating the lives of journalists in Gaza during the assault, is republished as supposed evidence of fakery.
4. Sharing Videos from Outside Gaza as If They Were from the Region
- A video of a girl from Afghanistan, originally posted by a fundraising account, is falsely claimed to be a staged Palestinian scene.
5. Accusing Palestinian Children and Victims of Being Props
- A genuine video of the body of a Palestinian fetus from Gaza is falsely claimed to show a silicone doll.
- A real video from Tulkarm is republished as if it’s staged.
- The account casts doubt on the death of a Gazan child who died from the cold.
6. Questioning the Validity of Freed Detainees’ Testimonies
- The account questions the authenticity of freed prisoner Ibrahim Shawish’s arrest, despite visible signs of torture.
7. Casting Doubt on Real Incidents of Palestinian Suffering
- A real video from Gaza of a fetus being recovered from rubble is falsely labeled as a staged scene.
- A real video of a martyr from Gaza is republished and claimed to be part of a dramatic production.
- A real video from Jenin is labeled part of the “Pallywood” campaign.
- A real video of a child selling cakes in the rain in Gaza is dismissed as fake.
- A video showing a woman screaming in pain is claimed to be acted.
8. Targeting Palestinian Journalists
- The account accuses Palestinian journalists of deception and scene fabrication.
- It claims that journalists are complicit in creating fake narratives.
Lack of Response from Meta and “X”
Kashif, in cooperation with Sada Social, works to report accounts that spread disinformation, aiming to have misleading content labeled, removed, or accounts suspended. Sada Social, as a trusted partner with several platforms, has successfully facilitated content or account removal in numerous cases.
However, in the case of the “Gazawood” account specifically, neither Meta nor X have responded to removal requests, despite comprehensive evidence and documentation provided by Sada Social.
