Gazans claim IDF shot a Palestinian Girl in the back | WATCH

A video circulating widely on social media, shared by the account Eye on Palestine, purports to show medical staff in Gaza extracting an intact bullet from a child's back with no visible blood or entry wound, igniting fierce debate over whether the footage is genuine or staged propaganda. The clip, which has garnered millions of views, has fueled claims of "Pallywood" (a term used by critics to describe alleged fake scenes produced by Palestinians to garner sympathy).

In the video, healthcare workers appear to gently remove a pristine bullet from the child's skin using tweezers, with the child showing minimal distress and no apparent injury site. Shared initially on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram, the footage quickly drew skepticism from online users and pro-Israel accounts. Commenters pointed out inconsistencies, such as the bullet's undamaged casing, which they argued would be impossible in a real shooting scenario, and the lack of blood, swelling, or medical urgency typically seen in trauma cases. "Classic Pallywood (staged for the cameras)," one viral post read, echoing a long-standing narrative of fabricated Palestinian suffering.

Eye on Palestine, a pro-Palestinian advocacy account with over a million followers, described the video as evidence of Israeli forces using non-lethal or experimental weaponry on civilians, though it provided no additional context or verification. The group has not responded to requests for comment on the staging allegations. Similar videos in the past have been debunked as behind-the-scenes footage from films, medical training exercises, or misattributed clips from other conflicts, according to fact-checks from outlets like Reuters and the Associated Press.

This incident exemplifies the broader "information war" raging alongside the physical conflict, where both sides accuse each other of manipulating media to influence global opinion. Pro-Palestinian advocates argue that "Pallywood" dismissals undermine legitimate reports of atrocities, eroding trust in verified journalism from outlets like Al Jazeera and the BBC. Meanwhile, Israeli officials and supporters contend that staged videos are part of a deliberate Hamas strategy to delegitimize Israel's actions. "Misinformation like this distracts from the true threats and humanizes terror," an Israeli Foreign Ministry tweet stated in response to similar past claims.

As the video continues to spread, fact-checkers are investigating its origins, with early analyses suggesting it may be edited or from an unrelated medical procedure. In an era of deepfakes and rapid sharing, experts warn that such content not only sows division but also desensitizes audiences to authentic suffering.