Old Video From A Pro-Palestine Rally In Pakistan Going Viral With Misleading Claims.

Recently a video showing a gathering of people beside a large Palestine flag where a large number of white objects resembling dead bodies were placed, went viral on social media. On the flag, the words “Save Gaza” were written. Sharing the video, users are claiming that these are the war victims of Gaza. 

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However, as we investigated, we came to know that the claim was misleading. The video is from Pakistan where fake body bags were displayed during a rally against the Israeli airstrike on Gaza. Here’s the fact check.

Fact Check 

We started our investigation by taking some screenshots from the viral video and conducting a reverse image search. This led us to a report published in the South China Morning Post on 19 November 2023 that contained images similar to the screenshots from the viral video. The report read, “Tens of thousands of supporters from Pakistan’s main religious political party rallied in the eastern city of Lahore on Sunday against Israel’s bombing of Palestinians in Gaza and what it said is the world’s failure to protect Gazans.

Amid anti-Israeli and anti-American slogans the emotionally charged crowd also called for jihad, or holy war.

Earlier this month, Jamaat-e-Islami held massive rallies in the port city of Karachi and the capital, Islamabad.

Supporters, including women and children, marched for several kilometres to reach the location of the rally, holding banners and posters with slogans opposing Israel and the United States and in support of the Palestinians.

Senator Sirajul Haq, the JI chief, said the ongoing rallies in support of Palestinians around the world awaken world governments and give a voice to the innocent.

He said the resolutions and words issued by the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation will not work, and that Muslim rulers have to rise and to stop the hand of the aggressor…”

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Taking this clue, using relevant keywords, we found similar images on the stock image website “Alamy“. The description of the image read, “Fake white body bags representing those killed in the escalating conflict in Gaza are displayed as supporters from Pakistan’s main religious political party take part in a rally against the Israeli airstrikes on Gaza to show solidarity with Palestinian people, in Karachi, Pakistan, Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)”

We found a YouTube video live-streamed on 19 November 2023. The first few minutes of the video resemble the viral video. The video shows a Pro Palestine rally in Nishtar Park, Karachi, Pakistan.

We found similar images on the AP website. The images were from the anti-Israel protest in Pakistan on 19 November 2023.

We found another video report by the Dawn News on 19 November. From the timestamp 6:20, the viral clip can be seen. According to the report, the visuals are from a Pro Palestine rally in Nishtar Park, Karachi where thousands of children took part. 

This makes it clear that the viral video is old and it shows a Pro Palestine rally in Pakistan.

Conclusion 

From our investigation, we can say that the claim is misleading. The viral video doesn’t show the dead bodies of children in Gaza. The video shows a Pro Palestine rally in Pakistan in 2023 where fake body bags representing the victims of Gaza were displayed.