Bella Hadid Targeted By AI Israel Deepfake

A fake video of Bella Hadid switching her support to Israel has gone viral on social media.

The Palestinian-Dutch supermodel has been vocal in her backing of the people in Gaza amid unrelenting airstrikes and ground attacks by Israel. The country's military offensive is in response to a surprise attack by Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, which killed more than 1,400 people and took about 240 hostages.

Since the beginning of the conflict, more than 8,500 people in Gaza have died, mostly women and children, according to The Associated Press, which cited Gaza Health Ministry figures. AP has also reported that hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced in Gaza, and more than 110 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since October 7.

An artificial intelligence video of Hadid seemingly switching allegiances has gone viral on X, formerly Twitter, gaining more than 25 million views.

In the clip, the AI-generated Hadid says: "I apologize for my past remarks," and that "this tragedy has opened my eyes to the pain endured here," as captions in Hebrew translate what she is saying.

"And I stand with Israel against terror. I've taken the time to truly learn the historical context. Now, with a clear understanding, I hope we can engage in constructive dialogue moving forward," the fake Hadid says.

The person who posted the video captioned the post, "Sinwar didn't expect to get this surprise for his 61 birthday 🎈🎂 #WeFixedItForBella," referring to Hamas' leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar.

Newsweek contacted Hadid's representatives by email for comment.

X flagged the video as AI, and the image of Hadid actually comes from a 2016 speech she gave at the Global Lyme Alliance gala in New York City. The supermodel lived with Lyme disease for years.

Hadid, the daughter of Palestinian-American property mogul Mohamed Hadid, has long been a vocal supporter of Palestinians—even losing work and relationships over her stance.

She broke her silence about the recent conflict on October 26, sharing a heartfelt message to her Instagram.

"I have yet to find the ideal words for this deeply intricate and horrific past 2 weeks, weeks that have turned the world's attention back towards a situation that has been taking innocent lives and affecting families for decades," she wrote.

"I have much to say, but for today, I will keep it short."

Hadid then wrote that she mourned for all deaths, whether in Israel or the Gaza Strip.

"Harming women and children and inflicting terror does not and should not do any good for the Free Palestine movement," she continued.

Hadid also revealed she had received "hundreds of death threats" and that her phone number was leaked due to her previous activism, adding: "It is important to understand the hardship of what it is to be Palestinian, in a world that sees us as nothing more than terrorists resisting peace."

"It is harmful, it is shameful, and it is categorically untrue," she wrote. "There is an urgent humanitarian crisis in Gaza that must be attended to. Wars have laws—and they must be upheld, no matter what."

She concluded by urging her followers to "put pressure on our leaders, wherever we are, not to forget the urgent needs of the people of Gaza."