Fact check: Viral drone video of Gaza destruction is real

Since a Hamas-led terror attack left nearly 1,200 people dead in Israel on October 7, 2023, Israel has  killed more than 55.000 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza, and destroyed large parts of Gaza. Israel has blocked nearly all foreign journalists from reporting from Gaza. Palestinians journalists have worked within the territory to get news and images out to the world. 

There are many online videos that show mass destruction. However, there is also a lot of confusion about the images shared online. Though much of the content is real, oftentimes AI-generated images go viral, contributing to the confusion. DW has confirmed that one video that has recently circulated widely is real.

Does this video really show Gaza?

Claim: This viral video, which had been viewed more than 9 million times when this article was published, shows some of the mass destruction in Gaza (archived here). "The world was silent while Israel committed genocide — now they lecture us about ethics? Gaza," the post on X reads. In the video, you can see footage taken with a drone, showing a large area after a bombing and massive destruction.

DW Fact check: Real

This viral video shows the destruction of the refugee camp Jabaliya in Gaza Image: X

The low quality and grey tones make the video look suspicious, so some users are asking in the comments if it is real. DW found that the video is not manipulated or AI-generated, as asserted by some, but what Gaza really looks like at the moment.

The first clue that the footage is real is the name Abu Samar, written as a watermark in the left corner of the video. DW found out that this is the name of the photographer and even found his Instagram profile. His full name is Mohammed Abu Samar. He posted a higher-quality version of the video on Instagram on April 4. It's very detailed, the colors are realistic, and the movements of the people are authentic.

Additionally, we found the footage on Associated Press, dated February 16 and 17, 2025. It says that it's the Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza. Samar has contributed to AP several times.

Video from Samar's Instagram account and the video DW found from AP are the sameImage: Instagram/m_abu.samra/palestine.pixel / AP

Media report that Israel has bombed Jabaliya multiple times since the strikes began, claiming it was a Hamas command center. That claim cannot be verified independently. 

What can be verified is the mass destruction of Jabaliya caused by Israel. Recent satellite images from Google Earth show the destroyed refugee camp in December 2024.

The video posted on X shows an accurate example of the destruction in Gaza. 

This screenshot of a satellite image from Google Earth shows the destroyed refugee camp in DecemberImage: Google Earth

False narratives cause confusion

We also had a closer look at the account that posted the video on X. It's called Iranian Military Commentary and has a blue check mark next to it, implying that it is a real and official account. However, that is not true. The blue check mark indicates that the account subscribes to X Premium (formerly Twitter Blue), which any user who pays and meets basic eligibility requirements can get.

It is not an official account. 

It is labeled a "commentary account" which means that it is commenting on topics related to Iranian military actions.  It also states that in its bio: "Updates on the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces."

Other activities that indicate that it's not official are that it has been online for a year, whereas an official account for Iran's military would be expected to be online for at least a few years. 

The account also reposts advertisements for iPhones, for example, as well as memes and AI-generated images, which makes it less trustworthy overall.

In this case, however, the account shared real content. 

Edited by: Rachel Baig