Evidencing alethocide: Israel’s war on truth in Gaza

Abstract

This paper examines Israel’s systematic deployment of disinformation during its war on Gaza since October 2023, introducing the concept of ‘alethocide’–the systemic destruction of truth. Using a mixed-methods approach combining cross-media ethnography and open-source intelligence, this study analyzes key disinformation campaigns across digital platforms, including the widely circulated “40 beheaded babies” narrative, state-sponsored influence operations targeting African Americans, and coordinated attacks on UNRWA. The research proposes a novel framework for assessing disinformation campaigns based on dimensions including intensity, reach, depth, penetration, recidivism, hierarchy, harm, and longevity. Findings reveal Israel’s production of atrocity propaganda, systematic efforts to dehumanize Palestinians, and organized campaigns to undermine humanitarian organizations. The study demonstrates how disinformation is modulated by geopolitical actors, media outlets, and tech platforms, which act as selective amplifiers within the broader technopolitical landscape. The research situates this alethocide within the context of settler colonialism and epistemic violence, arguing that disinformation serves not just to mask violence but to actively construct alternative realities that legitimize genocide. By examining the intersection of disinformation with power structures and technology, this study advances beyond traditional episodic definitions of disinformation to demonstrate how it functions as a component of symbolic power that reinforces existing geopolitical hierarchies.