All eyes on Rafah: Following several days of Israel’s ceaseless bombardment in Gaza that resulted in the deaths of several dozen people, the AI-generated image “All eyes on Rafah” began making the rounds on social media. In light of the outcry against civilian deaths in Israel’s offensive against Rafah, the viral photograph has now been shared over 44 million times on Instagram.
The viral image, with the tagline ‘All eyes on Rafah’, depicts densely packed rows of tents stretching eternally across a desert landscape shrouded by mountains, alluding to the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled there during Israel’s military operation against Hamas.
Amid global outrage, numerous celebrities worldwide shared the image. Among the first to do so were French football star Ousmane Dembele, top models Bella and Gigi Hadid, who are of Palestinian descent, and US actor Pedro Pascal.
All eyes on Rafah
The slogan “All eyes on Rafah” has gained significant traction not just on Instagram, but across other social media platforms, particularly X. The hashtag #alleyesonrafah has garnered nearly one million hits on X, and the platform has recorded over 27.5 million messages about the Israeli attack on Gaza in the past three days.
The Israeli airstrikes and shelling on Rafah on Sunday ignited a massive fire in a relief shelter where refugees were staying in outdoor tents. According to Gaza’s health ministry, the attack resulted in the deaths of 45 civilians, including children, and injured 249 people.
Following the widespread ‘All eyes on Rafah’ trend on social media worldwide, Israel initiated its own response to the viral photo. Israeli authorities utilized social media platforms to disseminate a photo with the caption ‘what your eyes fail to see’, drawing attention to the situation of the hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attacks.
The Israel Foreign Ministry shared a tweet originally posted by the Embassy of the State of Israel in India. The tweet stated: “What your eyes fail to see is the cries of 125 Israeli men, women, Children, and aged presently held hostage through Hamas in terrible situations deep inside the tunnels of Gaza.
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The tweet also emphasizes, “Understanding the complete story is crucial before forming any opinions. We are committed to ensuring that EACH AND EVERY ONE of the hostages are brought home, and we will not cease our efforts until then.”