‘All Eyes On Rafah’ is trending on Instagram with millions Share.
Recent Israeli strikes in Rafah, Gaza, have resulted in the deaths of at least 45 Palestinians, including many children.
The attacks targeted tents filled with displaced people, causing widespread devastation. The Tal as-Sultan area, designated as a “safe zone” in northwest Rafah, was hit by at least eight Israeli missiles, as reported by Al Jazeera.
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and destruction, with fires breaking out and spreading through the area after a fuel tank explosion triggered by the strikes, according to NBC News.
International Condemnation and Civilian Casualties:
The assault on Rafah, currently home to hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians, has drawn widespread condemnation from numerous countries and human rights organizations.
Despite international concerns over civilian casualties, Israeli ground and air offensives continued, leaving many more people dead and injured.
Nikki Haley writing “finish them” on Israeli bombs is the perfect encapsulation of US foreign policy.
The U.S. provides the bombs, Israel provides the genocide.
She’s just one war criminal in a system of war criminals. pic.twitter.com/YLL5hoa8K6
— Danny Haiphong (@SpiritofHo) May 29, 2024
“All Eyes on Rafah”: The Viral Image
As graphic visuals of the aftermath circulated on social media, an image with the text “All Eyes on Rafah” began trending.
The campaign, led by activists and humanitarian groups, aims to draw attention to Rafah’s plight, where around 1.5 million people have taken refuge from the ongoing conflict.
The image shows tents arranged to form the words “All Eyes on Rafah,” urging global awareness of the dire conditions in Gaza’s southernmost city.
Questions of Authenticity: An AI Creation?
The image, which has gone viral, is believed to be one of the first instances of AI-generated activism visuals.
Marc Owen Jones, an expert in misinformation, noted that the image exhibits signs of artificial creation, such as unrealistic shadows and unnaturally symmetrical tent arrangements.
NBC News also reported these observations, suggesting the image’s likely AI origin.
Origin of the Slogan:
The phrase “All Eyes on Rafah” can be traced back to a statement made by Rick Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organization’s Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Peeperkorn’s comment came in February after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced an evacuation plan for Rafah, targeting what he claimed were the last strongholds of the militant group Hamas.
Global Spread and Support:
Support for the “All Eyes on Rafah” campaign has surged globally.
Organizations like Save the Children, Oxfam, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign have adopted the slogan.
On social media, the hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah has garnered over 195,000 posts and millions of views.
The image has been shared over 29 million times on Instagram in less than 24 hours, with Indian celebrities such as Varun Dhawan, Madhuri Dixit, Aly Goni, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, and Tripti Dimri, as well as international figures like Australian cricket player Travis Head, British singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock, model Bella Hadid, and actresses Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Susan Sarandon, showing solidarity with Rafah.
A Call for Global Attention:
As the conflict in Gaza continues, the “All Eyes on Rafah” campaign is amplifying the call for peace and justice for Palestinians.
The widespread sharing and support of the image underscore the global community’s concern and demand for an end to the violence and suffering in Rafah and beyond.
