A photo circulating that claims to show nine children of a Gaza doctor killed Friday in an IAF strike on Khan Yunis is outdated, N12 reported Monday.
The image was found to have appeared earlier in Gaza reports from over two months ago, suggesting it was manipulated by Hamas-affiliated media and was part of a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at stirring propaganda against Israel, N12 wrote.
N12 stated that the photo, circulated alongside claims regarding the deaths of Dr. Alaa al-Najjar's children in Khan Yunis, was originally published in March as part of a separate story.
In addition to the reused photos, images created using artificial intelligence (AI) have spread across Palestinian media over the past 24 hours, further casting doubt on the authenticity of the photo.
Despite the questionable photos, N12 reported that there is currently no conclusive evidence disproving the incident itself.
Reports unverified by IDF
The IDF said it would probe claims that an Israeli drone strike killed nine children in a statement given to Israeli media on Saturday, The Jerusalem Post previously reported.
The IDF spokesperson stated that the IAF had attacked suspects operating near Israeli soldiers, adding that the area had been cleared of civilians beforehand and that the claims of harm to non-combatants are under investigation, the Post quoted.
IDF operations targeting Nasser Hospital
Since the end of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in March, the IDF has carried out multiple operations in Khan Yunis targeting the Nasser Hospital, where Hamas terrorists have been found operating.
During a previous raid on the hospital in February, IDF soldiers discovered medicines labeled with the names of Israeli hostages and various weapons.