a An image representing refugee tents spelling out the phrase “All eyes are on Rafah” became a viral sensation on social media this week amidst the Israel-Gaza conflict. The AI-generated graphic was shared over 45 million times on Instagram by Wednesday.
The image and the responses it received extended beyond Instagram. A TikTok video reacting to the image amassed 10 million views within 24 hours of being posted. After X’s pro-Palestinian account shared the image on Monday, it garnered 8 million views and 188,000 retweets in a matter of days.
Within 48 hours, this AI-generated image of the tent reading “Watch out for Rapha” had been shared tens of millions of times on Instagram Stories, and was then shared on X, Facebook and TikTok, making it the most viral AI-generated image I've ever seen. pic.twitter.com/La8mUNBlF7
— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) May 29, 2024
“Pay attention to Rafah” has been a prevalent slogan in support of Palestine for months, but recent posts of the image have increased its mainstream visibility. International focus on Rafah grew after an Israeli military strike on Sunday claimed the lives of at least 45 people in a displaced tent camp in the city. The attack led to significant destruction and casualties, including women and children who perished in the ensuing fire.
Israeli authorities stated that their target was senior Hamas officials, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu referring to the civilian deaths as a “tragic mistake.”
Since Israel initiated its offensive in Gaza in October 2023 in response to Hamas actions in southern Israel, social media has been inundated with graphic images of violence. Some activists and users have criticized platforms for allegedly suppressing such content. The sudden attention on this particular image has left observers puzzled.
“I don’t understand why this specific image has gained so much public interest while others have not,” remarked Nadim Nassif, the founder of social media watchdog 7amleh. “I suspect that Meta will reduce or remove the views of these brutal images from that night altogether.”
The true source of the image bearing the slogan “Pay attention to Rafa” remains unclear. However, Mashable reported that Instagram templates featuring the slogan were created by a small account believed to be based in Malaysia, sharing various pro-Palestinian graphics. These images depict landscapes vastly different from Rafah or Gaza, showing desert terrains with refugee tents and snowy mountains in the backdrop.
The phrase may have originated from remarks made in February by Dr. Rick Pieperkorn, the World Health Organization’s representative for the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank, who mentioned that “all eyes” were on the impending attack on Rafah.
As the image gained momentum, numerous celebrities and influential Instagram accounts shared it with their extensive followings. Personalities like Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan, and Alia Bhatt, each boasting millions of followers, reposted the image. Actor Pedro Pascal and singer Dua Lipa also shared related posts featuring the slogan.
The post’s popularity led to several imitations and counter-posts from pro-Israel accounts. One graphic design firm’s post, stating “A Hamas fighter holds a gun in front of a baby,” has amassed over 300,000 shares on Instagram.
Source: www.theguardian.com
