Meta serves ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads from pro-Israel organizations soliciting funds for military assets, including drones and tactical gear for Israeli Defense Forces battalions.
“We are Sheikh’s sniper team stationed in Gaza. We require a tripod to fulfill our mission at Jabaria,” states one Facebook ad that was first posted on June 11 and remains active as of July 17.
These sponsored advertisements were initially uncovered and reported to Meta by Ekō, a global consumer watchdog. They have identified at least 117 ads beginning in March 2025 that specifically requested donations for IDF military equipment. This marks the second instance an organization has highlighted an ad by the same publisher to Meta. In a prior assessment from December 2024, Ekō flagged 98 ads, urging the tech giant to take action against many of them. Nonetheless, the company has largely permitted publishers to initiate new campaigns with similar ads since then. The IDF itself has not made any public appeals for funding.
“This proves that Meta essentially accepts funding from anyone,” remarked Maen Hamad, a campaigner with Goku. “There appears to be minimal balance in the oversight that platforms are supposed to provide. If that’s the case, those measures are only implemented post-factum.”
In response, Ryan Daniels, a spokesperson for the social media company, stated that Meta has reviewed and eliminated ads violating company policy after receiving inquiries. Any advertisement related to social issues, elections, or politics must undergo an approval process and contain a disclaimer disclosing advertising payments, according to the company. These particular ads, however, did not meet that criterion.
These ads garnered at least 76,000 impressions, a metric indicating the number of times an ad is shown to users solely within the EU and the UK. The group was unable to ascertain the number of impressions in the US.
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At least 97 recent advertisements are soliciting donations for specific models of private drones, many of which remain operational. A new investigation by +972 Magazine reveals that these drones are utilized by Israeli combat units to drop explosives on Palestinians. Although these quadcopters can be found on Amazon, IDF units often modify civilian drones sourced via Facebook groups, primarily produced by a Chinese company called Autel, at a fraction of the cost of military-grade drones. Several IDF soldiers spoke to +972 anonymously.
“Most of our drones are damaged and in disrepair. We have no replacements.” Another ad states. “Donate now. Every second counts and every drone can save lives.”
It remains unclear if these combat units leverage the funds received from these specific ads to purchase drones, but soldiers informed +972 that they have received donations, fundraisers, and inexpensive drones sourced through Facebook groups, manufactured by Autel.
Funding advertisements from Vaad Hatzedaka, one of the publishers flagged by Ekō, link to a donation webpage detailing the equipment being funded, which includes two Autel drones. Vaad Hatzedaka, a nonprofit organization, has set a fundraising target of $300,000 and has already secured over $250,000 for these drones and other assistance for various IDF units, according to the donation page. The second publisher, Mayer Malik, is an Israel-based singer-songwriter who has run ads directing to a landing page offering sponsorship avenues for various tactical gear, raising more than $2.2 million in total donations for the IDF.
Meta’s advertising policy strictly prohibits the promotion of donation requests for “firearms, firearm parts, ammunition, explosives, or lethal enhancements,” with limited exceptions. Meta has removed some recent ads and associated funding requests for military resources that were flagged earlier, primarily due to the absence of necessary disclaimers accompanying the ads. Social issues, elections, or political ads are subject to disclose requirements as stated in Meta’s Advertising Library.
According to Ekō, these advertisements may also breach certain provisions of the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Under the DSA, platforms like Meta are required to eliminate content that contravenes national or EU legislation. In France and the UK, the laws restrict how charities can fund and the means by which they can support foreign military entities. For instance, in January 2025, the Charity Commissioner in the UK issued an official warning to a London charity that raised funds for IDF soldiers, stating that it was “neither legal nor acceptable.”
Source: www.theguardian.com
