A fresh TikTok challenge where Israeli influencers mock the Gaza war has triggered broad condemnation. In the popular clips, people pose as raising money for Palestinian kids but later take pictures mocking the reactions of unaware relatives and strangers.
One of the popular videos is that of social media personality Yakir Bar Zohar soliciting donations on behalf of Gaza’s children. When someone walking by says they will give, Zohar feigns shock and inquires as to whether they are certain to donate to “children who will become terrorists.” Comparable videos, produced by youths and even by soldiers, have been found on TikTok.
In one case, a soldier recorded herself pranking her right-wing father, requesting that he donate for the children of Gaza. His angry reaction involved cursing and dismissing the notion flat out prior to the revealing of the prank, laughing at her father’s response. Another viral video included a young female caller phoning her mother in order to make a request for a donation. The mother replied with hate-filled remarks, denying that there existed “innocent Gazan children” and wishing them harm.
The phenomenon has received mixed responses. The prank has been defended on social media by some, who argue that there are “no innocents in Gaza,” while others criticized the videos as racist and dehumanizing. Owing to the controversy surrounding the videos, they continue to attract attention online.
The conflict in Gaza has taken a severe toll on children, with a minimum of 14,500 killed, thousands wounded, and almost one million displaced, according to reports. Human rights bodies have condemned the TikTok phenomenon as insensitive and further exacerbating the plight of war-torn communities.