Internet Trolls Convince Themselves That Video Of Gazans Cheering U.S. Aid Is Fake

A video of Gazans cheering as American contractors distributed humanitarian aid quickly went viral this week — only for anti-Israel social media accounts to falsely claim the footage was AI-generated.

While there was no evidence that the video, shared by The Daily Wire, was AI-generated or manipulated, journalists from outlets including BBC, NBC, and Newsweek entertained the suggestion — eventually determining that the video was authentic.

The 17-second video shows a long line of Gazans behind fences cheering as a masked American contractor, working with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), stands atop a hill and forms a heart with his hands toward the crowd.

A source at one of the Gaza distribution sites tells me that Hamas set up a roadblock to prevent Gazans from getting aid.

They broke through it and were shouting “thank you America” upon reaching the site. pic.twitter.com/5bfRoy6mcO

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) May 27, 2025

Thousands of anti-Israel accounts falsely accused The Daily Wire of passing off an AI-generated video as real. Some of these posts amassed millions of views.

WATCH: U.S.-BACKED GAZA AID CENTERS SEE CHAOS, ‘THANK YOU AMERICA’ CHANTS, AND 500,000 MEALS ON DAY ONE

The video was given to The Daily Wire and several other outlets by GHF, a credible source actively on the ground in Gaza. Other videos were also provided by sources familiar with operations at GHF’s distribution sites, including one of Gazans shouting “Thank you America!”

“Any claim that our documentation is fake or generated by AI is false and irresponsible,” GHF said in a statement.

A source close to GHF operations told The Daily Wire that the video disrupts the narrative that the American-backed aid group is unpopular.

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“Some people can’t accept that a new model is working — that in the middle of war, Gazans are showing up, getting fed, and walking away with dignity,” the source said. “They’d rather believe it’s fake than rethink what effective humanitarian aid looks like.”

Despite the credible source, other videos corroborating the attitude of Gazans to GHF, mainstream outlets sought to investigate the accusations from the anti-Israel troll accounts.

EXCLUSIVE: Video of Gazans shouting "Thank you, America!" at a Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) distribution center today.

My source tells me some Gazans said this was the first time they’ve received humanitarian aid without having to pay for it. pic.twitter.com/ZiystBCxpC

— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) May 27, 2025

Shayan Sardarizadeh, a senior journalist at BBC Verify, concluded that the video was real after comparing it to satellite images, drone footage, and other photos.

NBC News analyzed the video along with Get Real Security, a cybersecurity company specializing in detecting AI content. They also found no evidence that the video is AI-generated or manipulated. For their investigation, they relied on geolocation, satellite imagery, and Israel Defense Forces drone footage to identify structures in the footage, including light poles and foliage.

The outlet also investigated the contractor’s sunglasses and gloves, the sound of the wind, and a background voice saying “Isn’t that crazy? Look at that” in English.

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Hany Farid, a co-founder of Get Real Security and a professor at the University of California, Berkeley, told NBC News, “I am not seeing any obvious signs that this video is AI-generated.”

“I am not seeing any obvious signs that this video is AI-generated,” Hany Farid continued. “We see strong continuity in features as the camera pans back and forth, something that generative AI struggles with.”

Newsweek posted an article titled, “Viral Video Shows Gazans Cheering USA. But Is It Real?” which entertained the idea of the video being faked. The article concluded that it was real, citing Sardarizadeh and Tal Hagin, a research fellow at FakeReporter — an Israeli group that fact-checks war-related claims — who also confirmed the video was authentic.

The enthusiastic response to American contractors handing out aid in Gaza comes as GHF concludes its third day of operation at three different distribution sites. The group says it has distributed approximately 17,820 boxes, totaling around 1,838,182 meals, to date.

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GHF has been tasked with implementing President Donald Trump’s aid initiative, designed to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches Gazan civilians while preventing Hamas from seizing supplies — a problem that has persisted since the war began following the group’s October 7, 2023, massacre.

GHF plans to continue scaling up its operations, including opening a new site in northern Gaza and is also developing a “last-mile” delivery plan to reach civilians unable to access the secure aid centers. The group GHF hopes to collaborate with traditional aid organizations, including United Nations-affiliated groups, by offering its delivery infrastructure to help ensure aid is distributed safely and protected from misuse or theft.

GHF has also faced attacks for the security contractors helping with the aid, who are American military veterans affiliated with Safe Reach Solutions and UG Solutions. Both companies helped Egyptians with supervising the checking of vehicles passing through southern to northern Gaza in January when the ceasefire went into effect, The Jerusalem Post reported.

GHF is operating as an apolitical group in Gaza that works with the IDF and Israeli government for security and logistical purposes to help it distribute the aid.

“GHF is in communication with Israeli officials solely for the purposes of deconfliction and to ensure aid can be delivered safely,” according to a GHF statement. “IDF will not have a presence within the immediate vicinity of the distribution sites.”