A video went viral on social media. In the video, many men were walking together, all carrying something on their backs, and they were all going in the same direction. An X user named Scholar, shared this viral video and wrote, These are civil Egyptians crossing the Palestinian border to deliver water and food stuffs to Palestine.
Another X user named Apocalypsis Apocalypseos shared the viral video and wrote, Egyptians cross the desert into Palestine to carry water, food, and supplies for the people of Gaza. These kind-hearted Egyptians are doing this despite Israeli threats and earlier bombings of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing that killed several people.
Apart from this X users named KING OF DEFI and HumanDilemma also shared the same video and made similar claims.
So, is it true that Egyptians are crossing the Palestinian border to deliver water and food stuff to Palestine? Let’s Fact Check?
Also Read: Viral Image of Tragic Scene in Gaza Exposed as 10-Year-Old Photo from Syria!
Fact Check
During our investigation, our first step was to conduct a reverse video search of the viral video to determine if it was genuine. In the process, we stumbled upon a YouTube video uploaded on September 8, 2023, on the official channel of journalist Moataz Matar. This video featured various clips showing a group of men with similar loads on their backs, just like in the viral video. They were all headed in the same direction.
However, the story took an interesting twist. According to Moataz Matar, these men were not crossing into Palestine to deliver aid, as previously believed. Instead, they were identified as Egyptian smugglers involved in transporting goods to Libya.
After this, we came across another YouTube video, posted on June 14, 2022, on the “Miscellaneous 557” channel, presenting a scene strikingly similar to the viral video. In this footage, several men were observed carrying loads on their backs, moving with purpose in the same direction.
According to “Miscellaneous 557,” the video depicted a story of smuggling along the border of Egypt and Libya, specifically at Salloum.
As our investigation progressed, we came across a report by Misbar, dated September 10, 2023. Remarkably, this report featured the very same visuals we had seen in the viral video. However, Misbar’s interpretation of these images aligned with what we’d seen before – it pointed towards smuggling activities near the Egyptian-Libyan border.
The report shed light on a larger issue that has persisted in the region for years. Smuggling has thrived on the Egyptian-Libyan border, especially following the relaxation of Libyan security measures after the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The range of smuggled goods is vast, encompassing items such as tobacco, cigarettes, foodstuffs, weapons, ammunition, drugs, and even fuel.
Furthermore, the report highlighted an alarming revelation: criminal gangs have been heavily reliant on the proceeds from smuggling as a source of financing.
Hence, all these points prove that Egyptians are not crossing the Palestinian border to deliver water and food stuff to Palestine. Instead, the video depicts the ongoing smuggling on Egyptian-Libyan border.
| Claim | Egyptians are crossing the Palestinian border to deliver water and food stuff to Palestine |
| Claimed by | Scholar, Apocalypsis Apocalypseos, KING OF DEFI, HumanDilemma, etc |
| Fact Check | False |
