An AI-generated picture captioned “All eyes on Rafah” has taken over social media, especially Instagram. This viral image, accompanying the discourse on Israel's military actions in Gaza, has been reshared more than 46 million times since Monday.

The trend started soon after Israel's lethal attack on Gaza's Rafah, turning the phrase “All eyes on Rafah” into a social media sensation.

What does ‘All eyes on Rafah’ mean?

• "All eyes on Rafah" is an AI-generated visual with a tagline drawing attention to the turmoil in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city near Egypt's border.
• In the wake of Israel's conflict initiation in Gaza, bombardment moved from the north, forcing Palestinians to evacuate their homes and seek refuge in the south.
• By February, nearly half of Gaza's 2.3 million residents had relocated to Rafah due to a pending Israeli ground invasion, alleging the presence of four Hamas brigades, the governing force in Gaza.
• This announcement drew international condemnation. WHO representative Richard “Rik” Peeperkorn's remarks about focusing on the Rafah offensive possibly inspired the slogan “All eyes on Rafah” according to Ameera Kawash, a Palestinian-Iraqi-American artist.
• The slogan has since been widely adopted on protest materials and social media.

What’s happening in Rafah?

On Sunday, after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) directed Israel to cease its attacks on Rafah, at least 45 people were killed by Israeli bombardment in al-Mawasi, previously a safe zone.

Further Israeli attacks claimed 21 lives in a displacement camp west of Rafah on Tuesday, with many of the deceased being women. Additional airstrikes were reported on Wednesday.

Israel's military actions have resulted in over 36,171 fatalities in Gaza since October 7, as reported by Gaza's Ministry of Health.

What does the ‘All eyes on Rafah’ image look like?

• The AI image showcases an orderly camp of tents amidst snowy peaks, with some tents spelling out “All eyes on Rafah” under a clear sky.

All eyes on #Rafah 🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/bg3bAtl3dQ

— The Palestinian (@InsiderWorld_1) May 27, 2024

• In reality, Rafah is covered with smoke from Israeli bombings and lacks any orderly tent arrangements. Many tents are in ruins, bombed, with occupants still inside, amidst scattered debris.
• Rafah is significantly overcrowded, with approximately 1.4 million people, according to the UN, fleeing there from Israeli bombardment by February.
• Al Jazeera’s Sanad fact-checking agency confirmed the image’s AI origin due to features like repetitive patterns, symmetrical alignment, lack of detail, and absence of shadows. For spotting AI-generated images, learn more here.

Here’s what Rafah looked like on Monday:

Here’s an image of Rafah from Tuesday:

Who has shared the ‘All eyes on Rafah’ AI-generated image?

The image has resonated globally on Instagram stories.

By 11:30 GMT on Thursday, it was reposted on 46.6 million Instagram stories by notable figures such as:

• American supermodel Bella Hadid, whose father is Palestinian.
• Irish actress Nicola Coughlan from the Netflix show Bridgerton.
• American comedian and writer Hasan Minhaj, and actor Aaron Paul.
• British actors Jameela Jameel and singer Dua Lipa.
• Well-known Indian actors like Varun Dhawan, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Alia Bhatt, and Kareena Kapoor Khan.

The first post featuring this image was by user @shahv4012 on Monday. Al Jazeera couldn't verify if this user created it. The user apologized for any dissatisfaction with the image while urging continued spreading of the message, according to Kawash.

The image has also appeared on X.

Why is ‘All eyes on Rafah’ so viral?

The image's widespread attention surpasses many actual photos from Rafah or Gaza.

Its viral nature can be attributed to Instagram’s “Add Yours” feature, which facilitates easy reposting without needing to find images.

The AI-generated image seems to have evaded text-based censorship, contributing to its immense reach, as noted by Kawash.

For celebrities and influencers previously silent on the war, this image provided a simple avenue to join the conversation.

Another factor could be the image’s non-graphic nature, making it more acceptably shared than real, often violent imagery from Gaza.

According to Eddy Borges-Rey, it contrasts starkly with the usual war imagery, leading algorithms not to flag it as violent content, thus aiding its spread.

How have people reacted to ‘All eyes on Rafah’?

While many social media users have celebrated the image’s virality, others have criticized it.

Critics view the reposting as superficial activism that diverts from real imagery and vital updates about Rafah.

Kawash commented that the image diminishes the real testimonies and experiences of Palestinians. She highlighted the scene depicted in the AI image sharply contrasts with Gaza's reality.

This AI image has stirred controversy as it appears to digitally obscure the harsh realities that Palestinian citizen journalists risk their lives to document.

palestinian journalists have been risking their lives for months to document every single massacre and instead people are reposting an ai-generated “art” that says “all eyes on rafah” and tells us nothing about what is actually happening on the ground or gives us any action items

— maryam مريم🇵🇸🍁 (@bluepashminas) May 28, 2024

All eyes on Rafah on your story and it’s posted by someone who hasn’t mentioned the genocide since October

— haaniyah angus (@_haaniyah_) May 28, 2024

Some have proposed sharing real images of Rafah instead of the AI-generated one.

Here’s a real image to use to call awareness for ALL EYES ON RAFAH and the ongoing genocide happening in Gaza and across Palestine pic.twitter.com/XZ0ZloFAGt

— 𝓵𝓫🍉 (@indiespicee) May 28, 2024

People start speaking up by reposting this image saying “ALL EYES ON RAFAH”, I hope people know that this is a long term movement, not just reposting a single no context AI image & call it done

PLEASE ALSO SHARE CONTEXT ABOUT RAFAH. u can start by reposting useful infographics🇵🇸 pic.twitter.com/TCISebaJ7T

— Ida 🗝️ commissions open! (@sulkycatz) May 29, 2024

What’s next after ‘All eyes on Rafah’?

This question arises as Israeli assaults on Rafah escalate. Kawash noted that while the image has brought attention to the crisis, the messaging needs action.

“The message should demand an immediate ceasefire and push governments to sanction Israel,” she said.

She also emphasized the dual role of AI in spreading the Palestinian narrative while highlighting its limitations in representing the reality of violence.

“AI-generated images should be scrutinized for their role in normalizing and aestheticizing violence against Palestinians," Kawash added, urging consumers to be critical.