Backlash against viral AI-generated 'All Eyes on Rafah' image

Activists are questioning why an AI-generated image has gained so much traction, as opposed to the real and often distressing footage from the ground in Gaza — footage that journalists are putting their lives on the line to capture in order to document the devastation of war. Photo via Instagram

As the Gazan city of Rafah recovers from an Israeli airstrike which killed 45 people in a tent camp on Sunday, social media has been awash with a viral ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ image.

Whilst the image, which has over 42 million shares on Instagram, was intended to raise awareness around the implications of war in Gaza, it has been met with widespread criticism.

The seemingly AI-generated image depicts tents in a camp arranged to spell out the phrase ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ against a desert backdrop. Since it gained momentum on social media, activists have been quick to condemn the trending image.

They are questioning why an AI-generated image has gained so much traction, as opposed to the real and often distressing footage from the ground in Gaza — footage that journalists are putting their lives on the line to capture in order to document the devastation of war.

Some of the world’s leading celebrities, including Galway native and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, and model Bella Hadid, are among the millions who have re-shared the post.

The image has been compared to a black tile which went viral following the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer in Minneapolis in 2020. Back then, Black Lives Matter activists claimed that the #BlackoutTuesday movement diluted a hashtag which once shared meaningful resources.

The phrase ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ was derived by the director of the World Health Organisation’s office of the occupied Palestinian territories, Rick Peeperkorn. Back in February, Mr Peeperkorn said “all eyes are on Rafah” days after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan to be drawn up of the city, ahead of attacks to eliminate militant group Hamas.

The phrase has now been echoed by humanitarian organisations such as Oxfam and Save the Children in their online campaigns. Photo via Instagram

At the time, Mr Peeperkorn warned against the invasion of Rafah, as it was now home to thousands of displaced Palestinians seeking shelter in tents. He said it would expand the “humanitarian disaster beyond all imagination.” 

The phrase has now been echoed by humanitarian organisations such as Oxfam and Save the Children in their online campaigns.

Mr Netanyahu said the Israeli strike on Sunday, which triggered a fire in the tent camp in Rafah, killing 45 people — mainly women, children and the elderly — was not intended to cause civilian casualties. He said: “Something unfortunately went tragically wrong". 

The deadly bombardment came just days after an International Court of Justice order to immediately halt military offensive in Rafah.

So far, more than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war, Gaza’s health ministry says. Israel launched the operation after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023.