Fact-Check: AI-Generated Image of Gaza-Bound Flotilla Carrying Aid Viral as Real

AI-detection platforms such as Sightengine and AI or Not revealed that the image was created using AI.

Fact-Check: This image has been created using AI and is not real. 

(Source: The Quint) 

An image showing a fleet of boats with Palestinian flags has gone viral, claiming to depict a flotilla of humanitarian aid and activists departing from Tunisia for Gaza to challenge Israel's blockade, which has caused starvation and scarcity in the region.

Who shared it?: The India Times blog also shared the image, crediting its source to an X user.

Here is a screenshot from their report.

(Source: India Times) 

An archive of the post can be found here. 

(Source: X/Screenshot) 

(Archives of similar claims can be found here and here.)

Is the claim true?: No, the claim is false as the image is created using artificial intelligence (AI).

What we found: At first, we ran a Google reverse image search on the viral image but did not find any official reports or sources which confirmed that the image showed the said flotilla.

• We, then, noticed that the text on the boats was illegible which was a sign that the image might be artificially created.

Here is a close of the text on the boats. 

(Source: Altered by The Quint) 

• We, then, ran the image on AI-detection websites such as Sightengine, Was It AI, and Hive Moderation.

• Sightengine and Was It AI were completely sure that the image was AI however, Hive Moderation concluded that it was only 54.6 per cent sure that it was created with AI.

• Swipe to see the results.

Here are the results by Sightengine.

Here are the results by Was It AI.

Here are the results by Hive Moderation. 

Team WebQoof also looked up images of Flotilla-travelling to Gaza with relief material and found that it looked different than the viral image. https://www.afpforum.com/AFPForum/Search/ViewMedia.aspx?mui=1&hid=5CB8839808EE50A6324FA0EE7C516868962DEBD6A1EC55C0D430CB55DCB39168

Here are some images of the Flotilla travelling to Gaza. 

Here are some images of the Flotilla travelling to Gaza. 

Here are some images of the Flotilla travelling to Gaza. 

Conclusion: This image is created using artificial intelligence and is not real as claimed by social media users.

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