TEHRAN-An image calling for global attention to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza has taken social media by storm.

The image, which appears to be AI-generated, depicts tents arranged in a camp spelling out the words “All Eyes on Rafah.” This powerful visual has been shared more than 35 million times on Instagram in about 24 hours, igniting a renewed social media push by supporters of Palestinians following a deadly Israeli airstrike on Rafah on Sunday, an area in the south of Gaza filled with refugee tent camps where local officials said at least 45 civilians died.

The airstrike targeted a camp for internally displaced persons under the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Rafah. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the country’s parliament in Hebrew that the casualties were a “tragic mishap”; his office presented clarifying comments in English that translated the phrase as “tragic incident.”

“All Eyes on Rafah” is a call for awareness on an important issue affecting the global community. The image has gone viral on Instagram, people are just attracted to it and start expressing it on social networks. It has been deemed to encourage people across continents to begin to pay attention to the fate of Gaza.

The image has been shared primarily through Instagram’s Stories feature, with influencers, athletes, and celebrities — including “Bridgerton” star Nicola Coughlan, singer-songwriter Kehlani, and one of India’s top actors, Varun Dhawan — posting the image.

Also, among those who have shared the image or used the hashtag #AllEyesOnRafah are Indian actresses Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Sonam Kapoor, and Dia Mirza, Albanian pop singer Dua Lipa, Chilean-American actor Pedro Pascal, Palestinian Model Bella Hadid, American actor Aaron Paul and American actress Susan Sarandon among many others.

Many Iranian cineastes and artists have responded to the brutal massacre and tragedy that happened in Rafah by joining the campaign. With their move, they seek to sympathize with the people of Gazza and condemn Israel's attacks.

The Iranian actors supporting the Palestinians via the image include Parviz Parastui, Payman Maadi, Sahar Dowlatshahi, Hamed Behdad, Mohsen Kiaei, Amir Jafari, Saber Abar, Linda Kiani, Elaheh Hesari, Arsalan Ghasemi, Diba Zahed, Behrang Alavi, Elnaz Habibi, Laleh Eskandari, Hanieh Tavassoli, Tannaz Tabatabaei, Shabnam Gholikhani, Arastou Khoshrazm, Hamidreza Mohammadi, Parinaz Izadyar, Behnoush Tabatabaei, and Pejman Bazeghi among others.

Iranian directors who have joined the campaign include Nima Javidi, Navid Mahmoudi, Manijeh Hekmat, Kamal Tabrizi, Rambod Javan, Pouran Derakhshandeh, Maziar Miri, Hassan Fathi, Yousef Hatamikia, etc.

Singers Sina Hejazi and Mohsen Chavoshi are also among the Iranian artists adding the image to their stories on Instagram accounts.

The image serves as a rallying cry, demanding global attention and accountability. As it circulates, it unites voices across borders, urging peace and justice for Gaza’s people.

Despite Meta’s efforts to limit political content, Instagram remains a vital outlet for Palestinian journalists and activists. The image’s virality demonstrates the platform’s ability to convey complex issues through visual storytelling.

While journalists from Palestine have had challenges in sharing videos on Rafah, some that show the impact of the Israeli attacks have been deleted due to sensitive content. However, controversy does not fade over time, and the “All Eyes on Rafah” photograph remains emblematic of the war.

Pro-Palestinian activism on social media has surged at various points since Israel began its assault on Gaza after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Most recently, a mass-blocking campaign targeting celebrities who have not vocally supported Palestinians gained some traction. Pro-Israel social media activity has also spiked at times, sparked most recently by university campus protests related to the war. Some people with large platforms have vocally supported Israeli civilians, which has sometimes led to a backlash against them.

SS/SAB