InfoEpi Lab • Newsletter

Telegram Responds to Hamas-Israel Conflict

Hyperpartisan groups projected anti-establishment, white supremacist, anti-Western, or conspiracy-minded ideologies on the situation.

Warning: The stances and views described in this report are not endorsed or supported by the InfoEpi Lab. This article links images that may contain offensive language or scenes from armed conflict. Please read and click with caution.

Examples of specific posts are in the section Descriptions of Telegram Posts. The general themes observed in the Telegram posts were conspiracy theories, alignment with the Palestinian perspective, mistrust of Israel, antisemitism, sovereignism, and distrust of authorities and international organizations. There was no standard response. Reactions were sometimes conflicting, even within groups.

General Trends

• Conspiracy Theories and Misinformation: Many channels promoted conspiracy theories involving pre-knowledge of attacks, setups, and secret motivations. There’s a significant overlap with mis- and disinformation, often linked to broader conspiracy theories outside the scope of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, such as references to 5G technology and global “control” narratives.
• Alignment with Palestinian Perspective: Generally, pro-Kremlin and conspiracy-oriented channels aligned with the Palestinian perspective; however, in each case, that seems related to groups seeing the situation as affirmation rather than concern for the Palestinians. Pro-Kremlin channels framed the conflict in terms of oppression by Israelis, frequently comparing the situation in Palestine with historical atrocities or genocides. This follows the Russian state’s myth of never colonizing anyone. Several channels highlighted Israeli deaths of civilians and at least one journalist, which the channels attributed to the Israelis.
• Antisemitic and White Supremacist Narratives: Far-right and white supremacist channels viewed the situation through an antisemitic lens, casting “the Jews” as enemies. At the same time, their stance on Palestinians wasn’t necessarily supportive; instead, it seems more likely to be related to affirming their worldviews and prejudices.