Rafah in the Spotlight: Post Shared by Over 47 Million People

    Students occupy the street in front of the Sciences Po University building in Paris, with a sign saying All Eyes on Rafah

An AI-generated image depicting tent camps for displaced Palestinians with the slogan "All Eyes on Rafah" is taking social media by storm. The post has been shared over 47 million times on Instagram, with celebrities like Dua Lipa, Lewis Hamilton, and Gigi and Bella Hadid among those sharing it.

The image went viral following an Israeli airstrike and subsequent fire at a camp for displaced Palestinians in Rafah, southern Gaza, earlier this week. The Hamas-run health ministry reported at least 45 fatalities and hundreds of injuries. Israel stated that the strike targeted two Hamas commanders and that the deadly fire might have been caused by a secondary explosion.

The Israeli strike has faced widespread international condemnation, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu describing it as a “tragic mishap.” The image gained rapid traction after a young man in Malaysia posted it on his social media, as discovered by BBC Arabic.

So how did this image come about?

The Origin and Spread of "All Eyes on Rafah"

The slogan "All Eyes on Rafah" gained significant traction following a deadly incident in Rafah earlier this week. The phrase originated from a February speech by Richard Peeperkorn, a World Health Organization representative in the occupied Palestinian territories. During an online call with journalists at the UN's Geneva headquarters, Peeperkorn warned against an Israeli attack on Rafah, predicting an "unimaginable disaster" if a large-scale incursion occurred. His phrase, "All eyes are on Rafah," has since been echoed by officials and activists to express concern over Israel's military actions in the city, which began three weeks ago.

In the ensuing months, the slogan appeared at rallies worldwide and on social media. Recently, an AI-generated image featuring the slogan went viral, amassing over 47 million shares on Instagram as of Thursday afternoon. Celebrities like Dua Lipa, Lewis Hamilton, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Mark Ruffalo, Priyanka Chopra, and Kinda Alloush have shared the post, amplifying its reach.

Experts attribute the virality of "All Eyes on Rafah" to several factors. The AI-generated image's simplicity and the slogan's clarity make it easily shareable. Instagram users can spread the message with just a couple of clicks, and the involvement of high-profile celebrities further boosts visibility. However, the timing and political context play crucial roles. According to Anastasia Kavada from the University of Westminster, the post's virality is driven by the widespread outrage following the strike on the Rafah camp.

Maher Nammari, an e-marketing and AI consultant, notes that the emotional impact of Sunday's attack in Rafah has fueled the post's rapid spread. The incident, which resulted in significant casualties and widespread sadness, created an environment ripe for viral content.

     Video shows devastation in camp for displaced Palestinians after Israeli strike

The AI-generated image itself, depicting a vast desert and tent camp with the text "All Eyes on Rafah," lacks graphic content. This omission, while criticized by some for not showing the true extent of the crisis, aids its shareability. Dr. Paul Reilly from the University of Glasgow points out that the absence of distressing scenes means the image avoids removal for violating Instagram's content guidelines. This "sanitized" depiction, despite its drawbacks, effectively raises awareness without the risk of censorship.

The Malaysian artist behind the image, known by the username shahv4012, responded to criticism by apologizing if the image fell short of expectations but urged viewers not to overlook the Rafah issue. He emphasized the importance of spreading awareness to impact global perception and response.

In conclusion, the combination of a powerful message, strategic timing, celebrity endorsements, and the non-graphic nature of the AI-generated image has made "All Eyes on Rafah" a viral sensation, shining a spotlight on the humanitarian crisis in Rafah.

How Instagram Features Help Social Campaigns Spread Widely

Instagram's tools have played a crucial role in the viral spread of social campaigns. When "shahv4012" published the image with the slogan "All Eyes on Rafah," he utilized Instagram's "Add Yours" feature, launched in 2021. This feature allows users to re-share the post effortlessly with just a couple of clicks, adding their own captions and tags to personalize and spread the message further.

Maher Nammari highlights that using such features for political or social campaigns is relatively new. "In most cases, anyone who starts using this feature for political reasons aims to contribute to launching large-scale campaigns, because the post snowballs in popularity," he explains.

Counter-Campaign: "Where Were Your Eyes?"

In response to the "All Eyes on Rafah" campaign, a smaller counter-campaign emerged. An AI-generated image with the caption "Where were your eyes on October 7?" refers to the Hamas attacks on southern Israel, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 252 hostages. Created by Israeli Instagram user Benjamin Jamon, the image depicts a gunman standing in front of a captive baby in Gaza.

This counter-image was shared around half a million times before it was removed from some accounts and Jamon's Instagram account was banned. However, the image later reappeared, with Instagram's parent company, Meta, stating: "This image does not violate our policies," and acknowledging a technical issue that led to its mistaken removal in some instances.

In summary, Instagram's features like "Add Yours" facilitate the rapid spread of social campaigns by making it easy for users to share and customize posts, contributing to their viral success