Viral AI Image Sparks Global Discussion Amidst Rafah Airstrikes.

A striking AI-generated image titled “All Eyes on Rafah” has taken social media by storm, depicting a vast expanse of tents in a desert landscape with mountains in the distance. This image symbolizes the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians seeking refuge in Rafah amidst the ongoing military campaign against Hamas.In the aftermath of a series of deadly Israeli airstrikes in Gaza, which claimed numerous lives, the “All Eyes on Rafah” image has become a piercing symbol of the growing international condemnation of civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s offensive. The image has gone viral, amassing over 44 million shares on Instagram alone. Among the celebrities who shared the image in support of Palestine was Bollywood star Madhuri Dixit. However, she later removed her Instagram Stories after facing criticism from several social media users.Beyond Instagram, the rallying cry of “All Eyes on Rafah” has been widely circulated on various social media platforms, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where the hashtag #alleyesonrafah has seen nearly a million mentions. Concurrently, discussions related to the Israeli assault on Gaza have surged on X, with over 27.5 million messages exchanged in the past three days.The Israeli airstrikes on Rafah have had devastating consequences, including a severe fire at a relief shelter, resulting in 45 civilian fatalities, among them children, and injuring 249 individuals. In response to the widespread dissemination of the “All Eyes on Rafah” image, Israeli authorities launched their own social media initiative, releasing a photo captioned “What Your Eyes Fail to See,” highlighting the plight of hostages held by Hamas following the October 7 attacks.The government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, shared this counter-image on X with the caption, “Where were your eyes on October 7?” They emphasized that Israel would continue to speak about the events of October 7 and remain committed to securing the release of the hostages.The intense social media activity underscores the deepening divide and the powerful impact of visual media in shaping global perceptions of the ongoing conflict.