'All Eyes On Rafah': What Is All About the Viral Image Trending on Social Media

Many have seen a picture with the phrase “All eyes on Rafah” circulating on social media websites, including Instagram. After brutal Israeli strikes that killed at least 45 Palestinians and injured more than 200 people on Sunday (May 26), including many children, in tents full of displaced people in Gaza's Rafah have drawn widespread condemnation from several countries and celebrities, even from Bollywood and Hollywood.

Also Read | Ritika Sajdeh Deletes 'All Eyes On Rafah' Instagram Story After Facing Online Criticism.

After this new massacre of displaced civilians in Rafah, , the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) shared a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, with a captioned “Gaza has become hell on earth. Families continue to seek refuge, trying to escape war, but there is no such thing as a safe place in the Gaza Strip. No one is safe: not civilians, not aid workers, no one has been spared. We need a #CeasefireNow”.

#Gaza has become hell on earth. Families continue to seek refuge, trying to escape war, but there is no such thing as a safe place in the Gaza Strip.

No one is safe: not civilians, not aid workers, no one has been spared. We need a #CeasefireNow. pic.twitter.com/ZbaEmBBjjb

— UNRWA (@UNRWA) May 27, 2024

The attack on Rafah was two days after a ruling by the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), where the court ordered Israel to halt its attack on the city. 

Also Read | ‘Did She Ever Talk About Kashmiri Pandits?’: Ritika Sajdeh Faces Backlash Over ‘All Eyes on Rafah’ Instagram Story in Solidarity with Palestinians.

Palestinian Ministry of Health said that the Israel air strikes killed 35 and left multiple injuries, most of them children and women. Later the death toll rises to 45 in a single day. Israel Defense Forces (IDF), defended themselves by saying that they killed to Hamas leaders and the attack was based on “precise intelligence” against “legitimate targets under international law”.

All About "All Eyes On Rafah":

The Israel attack at a Rafah border triggered a global outrage, with many condemning it and several demanding a ceasefire between Hamas and Israel. Visuals of charred bodies and displaced people with injuries emerged on social media platforms with the text, "All Eyes on Rafah". This phrase started trending and the activists started sharing the images on their handles. 

"All Eyes on Rafah" – this phrase took over social media on Tuesday as people worldwide rallied in support of Palestinians living in the southern Gaza city, where Israel is carrying out a massive ground operation.

Know more ⏬#AllEyesonRafah#Gaza#Palestinians#Israelpic.twitter.com/kTTlPLgOFP

— Lokmat Times (@lokmattimeseng) May 29, 2024

After this trend, several people, including celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, Varun Dhawan, Alia Bhatt, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Tripti Dimri, and Richa Chadha. Rohit Sharma’s wife, Ritika Sajdeh, also shared the viral image. Over 36 million Instagram users and still counting. have shared the Rafah story.

What Is the Image Shows?

The image is a replica of tents and camps at the Rafah border, and the phrase written on it is "All Eyes on Rafah" to urge the world that the people are concerned about the situation in Gaza's southernmost city, where approximately 1.5 million people have sought shelter after fleeing Israeli bombings.

The image looks like it was created using AI (artificial intelligence) by activists. According to AI expert Marc Owen Jones, this viral image was generated using an AI tool and does not look real. 

The slogan 'All Eyes On Rafah' on the viral image originated from a statement by Rick Peeperkorn, director of the World Health Organization's Office of the Occupied Palestinian Territories. He commented in February last year after Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an evacuation plan for Rafah ahead of attacks on Gaza.