Turkish media outlets reported that an Israeli agent who goes by the name of Amit Nakesh had eliminated Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. (Image: X/Eli David)
Turkish media outlets even gave ‘Amit Nakesh’ the rank of a colonel and said he was an Indian-origin Mossad agent.
Turkish media outlets mistakenly reported that an Israeli spy named ‘Amit Nakesh’ had assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. However, it turned out to be an Israeli social media meme that fooled the outlets.
Haniyeh was killed in Tehran while attending an event, but Israel has not commented on the incident. Iran and its proxies blame Israel and the US for the assassination.
Turkish publications like Akdeniz Gerçek Gazetesi, Guneydogu Ekspress, and Haber Global mistakenly attributed the killing to ‘Amit Nakesh’ in northern Tehran.
Despite the initial reports, Turkish outlets later removed references to ‘Amit Nakesh’ upon realizing their mistake. Israeli media outlets pointed out that ‘Amit Nakesh’ resembled a Hebrew word meaning assassin.
The incident drew comparisons to past misinformation, including a false claim about the killing of Iranian President Raisi by an agent named ‘Eli Copter’. Israeli memes often play a role in spreading such misinformation.
Israeli commentators and social media users, including Dr. Eli David, mocked the Turkish media for falling for the meme. A parody Twitter account of ‘Amit Nakesh’ also emerged.
The incident highlights the impact of social media memes and misinformation on global perceptions and the need for media outlets to verify information before reporting.
