Israel spreading false news to conceal 'genocide' in Gaza: Turkish communications chief

By Necva Tastan

ISTANBUL (AA) — Israel's systematic disinformation campaigns to cover up its "brutal massacres" in Gaza must be met with concerted efforts to counter them, Türkiye's communication director said on Friday.

"In an attempt to conceal its atrocities and massacres reaching the level of genocide, Israel has been systematically fabricating deceptive news and misinformation, working to disseminate them," Fahrettin Altun said at the seventh annual TRT World Forum.

To prevent disinformation from being used as a "poisonous" instrument in global and regional power struggles, strategic communication is indispensable, Altun stressed at the event, organized in Istanbul by Türkiye's English-language public broadcaster.

He highlighted efforts by Türkiye's Center for Combating Disinformation to help uncover falsehoods pushed by Tel Aviv. "We exposed hundreds of lies by Israel," he said, adding that "each exposure deepened the legitimacy crisis Israel is facing."

Further addressing Türkiye's international cooperation, particularly under the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and Turkic Council, a group of five prominent independent Turkic countries, he emphasized their endeavors in social media literacy and individual work combating disinformation.

"In recent crises, including the global pandemic, Karabakh war, Russia-Ukraine conflict, and Israel's actions in Gaza, we've seen that strategic communication can curb the toxicity of disinformation in global and regional power struggles," he said.

As the TRT World Forum unfolds, participants from Türkiye and around the world are expected to engage in comprehensive discussions on various topics, reflecting the event's theme of "Thriving Together: Responsibilities, Actions, and Solutions."