Fact-check: Does this show Israeli soldiers making fake videos to portray Hamas as killing children?

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No, it is false. The video is an old staged short film shot in 2022 about the story of child prisoner Ahmed Manasra in Palestine and is not related to the Hamas-Israel war. 

Writer: Ochaya Jackson

A video posted by an X user formerly known as Twitter with a statement claiming that Israeli soldiers were making fake videos to show that Hamas fighters are killing children is false and misrepresents the context.

The video, which was posted on the 9th of October, 2023, shows a scene where a boy laid down with his right leg twisted behind with cameras set up toward him while surrounded by people, among others, two soldiers in military uniforms, others in police uniforms as well as in plain clothes hold guns and pistols aimed guns at him as being filmed.

“See how Israelis are making fake videos saying that #hamas killed children,” reads the text posted while accompanying the video with a hashtag written in Arabic, which Google translated, “Flood of Jerusalem, the Palestinian resistance, Gaza_Al-Azza Jerusalem_Arab.”

The screenshot of the claim as posted by an X user

The same claim was posted on Facebook here on the 9th of October, 2023

Claim Verification:

211 Check ran a screenshot of the video on Yandex reverse image search and returned that the video was also shared on a Russian Telegram channel on the 2nd of September, 2023, with a part of the statement Google translated saying, “As you might guess, the people in the video are a Palestinian film crew”.

Further, a Google reverse image search of the video screenshot returned that the video claim was debunked by the YouTurn App website on the 12th of October, 2023, as falsely linked to the Israel-Hamas war.

Context:

According to the YouTurn App website, the video claimed was a short film derived from the footage of Ahmed Manasra, who was once shot and injured after he was accused of a stabbing attack by Israeli authorities citing a media report by Aljazeera Mubasher as the video was uploaded on its YouTube channel in 2015.

The screenshot of the video footage of Ahmed Manasra as injured on the ground.

An Arabic news channel, Al-Mayadeen, also ran a news story featuring the footage of Ahmed Manasra, which it described as the moment the young Palestinian boy was arrested by Israeli security operatives in 2015 in Jerusalem.

The screenshot video footage of Ahmed Manasra lying on the ground while injured.

In addition to that, the Sada Elbalad news channel reported the incident in 2015 when Ahmed Manasra was shot and wounded.

The screenshot of the Sada Elbalad YouTube news footage about Ahmed Manasra

The video claim appeared to be staged filmmaking as the young boy received instructions to twist his leg behind, and cameras were set up to shoot the scene.

However, the footage showing the Palestinian child Ahmed Manasra’s moment of arrest by Israeli security, as per media report, indicates blood spots under his head and back on the ground where he is seen lying with his two legs twitted uncontrollably behind.

Both videos have different background appearance.

The Hamas-Israel war started earlier in October this year, 2023, after Hamas forces launched an attack on Israeli territory that led to the deaths of several people.

Conclusion:

211 Check finds the footage, which was claimed to be Israeli soldiers faking a video to show Hamas killing children, is false and misleading.

The video footage was a film documentary that was shot by the Palestinian filmmaking entity in 2022 to represent the context in which a Palestinian boy named Ahmed Manasra got shot and injured by Israel security operatives after he was accused of a stabbing attack in 2015 in Jerusalem, according to media reports.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

It’s vital to fight misinformation and disinformation in the media by avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.

Data Story: 14.59% rise in pupils registered for the certificate of primary education examinations this year

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The previous year, 60,714 enrolled for the exams, comprising 34,505 males and 26,209 females. This year, 69,573 candidates, 38,575 males and 30,998 females, registered.

Writer: Emmanuel Bida Thomas

This year, pupils in schools across South Sudan will write their Certificate of Primary Education (CPE) examinations for the academic year 2023 from 20 November 2023 to 24 November 2023. 

The Acting Minister of the Ministry of General Education and Instruction, Martin Tako Moyi, said in a press statement on 18 October 2023 that 69,573 candidates, 38,575 males and 30,998 females, have dully registered for the examination, which began on Monday, 20 November 2023.

However, compared to the previous year, when 60,714 candidates, including 34,505 males and 26,209 females, registered, this year’s number shows a 14.59 per cent increase in the number of candidates.

Male candidates increased by 4,070 from 34,505 in the 2022/23 exams, and female candidates also grew by 4,789 from 26,209 the previous year.

The increase in male candidates accounts for 11.80% of the rise, while the increase in female candidates accounts for 18.27%.

2017 – 2023
YearMalesFemalesTotal
2017/1826,53315,46041,993
2018/1930,48018,00048,480
2019/2034,82521,96256,787
2020/2132,54920,69353,242
2021/2231,23221,98853,220
2022/2334,50526,20960,714
2023/2438,57530,99869,573
Table showing statistics of CPE candidates for the past six years

Table showing the number of Candidates and Examination Centers by State and Administrative Areas

S/NoState/AreaNumber of CandidatesNumber of Schools
Abyei Administrative Area1,03519
Central Equatoria State19,325428
Northern Bahr-el-Ghazal State7,536227
Ruweng Administrative Area4,09337
Warrap State7,577175
Unity State3,61641
Western Equatoria State3,813128
Western Bahr-el-Ghazal State4,489127
Upper Nile State5,180103
Lakes State4,944139
Greater Pibor Administrative Area1455
Jonglei State3,07680
Eastern Equatoria State3,952155
Egypt78923

Conclusion:

The increase in candidates highlights the need for adequate infrastructure and resources to accommodate the growing student population. The government should prioritise investment in schools, classrooms, textbooks, and other learning materials to ensure all students have access to quality education. While the number of female candidates has increased, there is still a gender disparity, with more male candidates than female candidates. Efforts should be made to encourage and support girls’ education, including providing scholarships, addressing cultural barriers, and promoting female role models in education.

Well-trained and motivated teachers are essential for providing quality education. The government should invest in teacher training programs, provide competitive salaries and benefits, and create a supportive working environment to attract and retain qualified teachers. The curriculum should be regularly reviewed and updated to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. Innovative teaching methods, such as incorporating technology and interactive learning, should be adopted to engage students and enhance their learning experience. South Sudan has been plagued by conflict, which has disrupted education for many children. Efforts should be made to increase access to education in conflict-affected areas, including providing safe learning spaces, recruiting and training teachers, and ensuring the availability of learning materials.

To ensure accuracy and transparency, we at 211 Check welcome corrections from our readers. If you spot an error in this article, please request a correction using this form. Our team will review your request and make the necessary corrections immediately, if any.

Fighting misinformation and disinformation in the media is crucial to avoiding fake news. Don’t share content you’re uncertain about. False information can harm and mislead people, risking their lives—Fact-check before sharing. For more details, visit https://211check.org/ or message us on WhatsApp at +211 917 298 255. #FactsMatter.