The claim
A photo of kneeling soldiers circulating online purports to show American troops praying for Israel before deployment.
Our conclusion
The photo showing soldiers praying has been mistakenly linked to the Israel-Hamas war. It is from 2017 and shows US soldiers after a church service at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Origin of the photo of the praying soldiers and its context
A photo showing soldiers in uniform kneeling in a hall was mistakenly circulated online as depicting American troops praying for Israel in its war against Hamas.
In fact, this image was first posted on Facebook on October 11, 2017 , with the caption "US Soldiers praying together after a chapel service at Fort Benning, Georgia."
adopted by the US Army in 2015 ,
The spread of misinformation
The misinformation was spread on Facebook on November 4, where a user shared the image claiming that it showed American soldiers praying for their country and for Israel before being deployed. However, the image's origins date back to October 7, 2017, when it was shared on a news platform.
Conclusion:
The claim that the photo of praying soldiers was taken in connection with the recent Israel-Hamas war is misleading. The image was taken four years before the conflict and shows soldiers after a church service in the United States, with no reference to current military operations in the Middle East.
Fact checking, particularly of images on social media, is essential to countering misinformation and propaganda. Images can evoke strong emotions and reactions and, if incorrectly contextualized, can lead to misunderstandings or misleading representations. They can influence public opinion and stir up unwanted tensions or conflicts in sensitive political or military situations. Accurate information helps ensure that the public is well informed and can make decisions based on facts.
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Also read:
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Israel and Gaza in the information war: The disinformation battlefield of both sides
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )