Israel's €42M Ad Campaign Challenges Famine Reports in Gaza
Israel's government has been running a series of sponsored ads, or 'Google ads', to challenge the perception of a famine in Gaza, spending tens of millions of euros on platforms like YouTube and X. The ads, which depict markets full of food and restaurants serving meals, have been viewed over 18 million times in Europe and North America.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been promoting videos on its official YouTube channel, showing Gaza's markets and restaurants in operation during July and August 2025. These videos aim to counter reports of food shortages and inflation in the region.
The Israeli Government Advertising Agency has launched a new campaign on August 22, denying the existence of famine in the Gaza Strip. This comes as evidence shows that famine (IPC phase 5) is currently affecting the Gaza Governorate and is projected to spread to Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September.
Israel's ad campaigns have also targeted the International Panel of Experts on Famine (IPC), with sponsored links appearing at the top of Google search results for users searching 'IPC famine'. The ads have been published in English, Italian, German, and Polish, targeting viewers in Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Since mid-June 2025, at least €42 million has been spent on these 'Israel news' campaigns.
The Israeli government's sponsored ads challenge the reported humanitarian conditions in Gaza, with a significant investment in international campaigns. Despite these efforts, independent reports confirm the existence of famine in the region, with projections of further spread by the end of September.
