Activists launched a digital campaign under the hashtag, “They Lied to You,” in an effort to bring the suffering in the Gaza Strip back to the forefront of global attention.
They stressed that the decline in international media coverage of events in the territory does not mean that the genocidal war has ended or that the suffering of its residents has stopped.
The campaign, launched in Arabic and English on July 16, included journalists, humanitarian workers, children from Gaza and Arab and foreign supporters.
Through video clips and written posts, activists sought to bring renewed attention to scenes of Palestinians being killed by Israel and to the multiple forms of suffering caused by starvation, displacement and disease.
Their aim was to challenge the widespread impression that the ceasefire agreement in force since Oct. 10, 2025, had ended the war and the humanitarian tragedy.
The campaign coincided with an escalation in Israeli attacks on Gaza, including bombardments and assassination operations that killed and wounded dozens of Palestinians, among them children and women.
The escalation on the ground was accompanied by continuing displacement, hunger and a lack of adequate medical treatment. The conditions worsened as Israel failed to fulfil obligations stipulated in the ceasefire agreement, including reopening the crossings and allowing the agreed quantities of food, relief and medical aid to enter.
Activists urged the world to act to save what remains of Gaza as Israel increased the pace of destruction and expanded its occupation of the territory to 70% of its total area, contrary to the agreement, which provided for Israeli military control of only 53%.
“They lied to you when they said there was a ceasefire in Gaza. What kind of ceasefire is this when children are still being killed, homes are being bombed, tents are being targeted, and families are grieving every day?” said Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Basal, who took part in the campaign.
“A genuine ceasefire means that the killing stops, the bombardment falls silent, children sleep without fear, and people return to their lives. But in Gaza, the air strikes are continuing and civilians are still paying the price day after day, despite all the talk of calm," he added in a post on US social media platform X.
He urged people not to allow “misleading news to obscure the truth.”
Under the same hashtag, a staged video by an activist circulated widely.
The activist appeared to have been punched in the face, had his mouth covered with black tape, and held a sign that read: “The war is over.”
Seconds later, he removed the tape from his mouth and turned the sign around, revealing the hashtag “They Lied to You” on the other side.
“They lied to you. They said the scene was over, that Gaza had disappeared from the news, and that the sound of bombardment had faded. But the reality we are living is different," Palestinian activist Osaid al-Kahlout said in a widely shared video.
“The sounds of explosions continue, along with the signs of destruction, the suffering of families, and the fear of children who are still living amid war, devastation, bombardment, and artillery fire," he said. “The story is not over. Gaza is not a number in a news bulletin, and its people are not a passing headline. The truth remains present, no matter how long the silence lasts. They lied to you, and some of you believed the narrative. The world must wake up.”
“The problem is not that they lied to you. The problem is that you wanted to believe them," Palestinian activist Ghazi Muhi wrote on X.
Palestinian activist Ahmed Murtaja also condemned repeated media references to a ceasefire in Gaza. “Families are still losing their children, and children are still being pulled from beneath the rubble. How can anyone say the war is over?” he said.
Children also participated in the campaign with videos reflecting their suffering, in an attempt to make their voices heard around the world.
“They lied to you and said the war was over. There is still war, hunger, destruction, bombardment, and the loss of loved ones and neighbours," said a Palestinian child connected to medical tubes in a hospital, published by the Palestinian Information Center. “Those who say the war is over are liars.”
-Arab, foreign supporters also took part in campaign.
“‘They Lied to You’ is a campaign hashtag challenging the claim that the war on Gaza has ended. The genocidal war continues, so we must continue supporting Gaza," Moroccan writer Hassan Bennajeh wrote on X.
A user named Fatima, who identifies herself as being from Yemen, wrote on the platform, “They lied to you because the truth is still being written in the blood of the innocent.”
Activist Zara Mufti, who said she is from Pakistan, wrote, “The genocide continues. Do not stop talking about Palestine.”
Another user, Sita, who identified herself as European, urged people “not to ignore the suffering of the Palestinians.”
According to the latest figures from the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement have killed 1,127 Palestinians and wounded 3,643 as of Thursday.
The agreement was reached after two years of a genocidal war launched by Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, with US support.
The war continued in various forms, leaving more than 73,000 people dead and over 173,000 wounded, while causing massive destruction to 90% of civilian infrastructure.
