Video from set of Palestinian TV series shared as ‘crisis actors' in Rafah

What is the claim?

A video circulating on social media shows a man lying on a stretcher with what appears to be fake blood on his face while a woman applies makeup to him. Another man, seemingly sitting upright in a body bag and also covered in fake blood, is seen smoking. The text embedded in the video reads, “Make-up Gaza style.”

This clip is being shared on platforms like X, suggesting that Gazans are using makeup to simulate injuries amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. One user on X captioned the video, “Rafah actors are preparing, and we may soon witness disturbing footage from Rafah.” The archive of this claim can be accessed here and here.

Screengrabs of posts from users on X claim Gazans are using makeup to fake their injuries. (Source: X/Modified by Logically Facts)

On Tuesday, May 7, Israeli forces took control of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt, a crucial route for delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza. They ordered Rafah residents to move north into an “expanded humanitarian zone.” This development has heightened fears of a full-scale invasion of the southern city. Reports indicate that Israel’s airstrikes on Rafah have resulted in at least 22 fatalities, including six women and five children.

However, our investigation reveals that this clip originates from behind-the-scenes footage of a Palestinian TV show, not from crisis actors in Rafah staging deaths or injuries.

What did we find?

Our research led us to the video posted on the YouTube channel of Bashir-Al-Najjar  (archive here), a Palestinian film director. The Arabic caption of the YouTube video suggests that the viral video is behind-the-scenes footage from the production of ‘Nazeef Al-Turaab’ (Bleeding Dirt), a Palestinian drama series. 

(Source: YouTube)

We examined the episodes of the TV show Nazeef Al-Turaab (Bleeding Dirt) and found corresponding footage in its second episode, which is available on YouTube.

From the time stamp 22:22 to 22:37 (archive here) of this video, the same two individuals featured in the viral video, one in a body bag and one on the stretcher, are seen being transported and placed in a cemetery. This episode premiered on YouTube on March 13, 2024. 

Comparison between the scenes from the TV show and the BTS footage viral on social media. (Source: YouTube/X/ Modified by Logically Facts)

The series focuses on the daily challenges Palestinians confront as they navigate the complexities of the Israel-Palestine conflict. It illuminates various facets of Palestinian life in regions such as the West Bank and Jerusalem, highlighting their experiences with violence amid ongoing tensions.

Source: YouTube 

Logically Facts has contacted Al-Najjar for additional information on the viral clip. We will update this fact-check upon receiving a response.

The ‘Pallywood’ narrative

Logically Facts has previously reported on the “Pallywood” narrative, a campaign accusing Palestinians of manipulating media and staging injuries and deaths to provoke anti-Israel sentiment. This narrative dismisses evidence of civilian harm in Gaza and ridicules incidents and Palestinians.

In the past, Logically Facts has debunked claims using footage from an advertisement shoot, wrongly suggesting it shows a crisis actor and a clip from a Lebanese short film shared as Gazans faking injuries. More fact-checks related to the “Pallywood” narrative can be found here.

The verdict

The viral video on social media, claiming that people of Gaza are simulating their injuries using makeup, is actually from the second episode of a Palestinian TV show titled 'Nazeef Al-Turaab' (Bleeding Dirt). Consequently, we have marked these claims as false.