A video spreading on X and Telegram of a man purporting to be a Hamas fighter threatening the Olympics in Paris is part of a Russian-linked disinformation campaign meant to disrupt the event, according to researchers at Microsoft.
On Telegram, Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq denied the video had come from Hamas, calling it a forgery.
Researchers from Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center, who reviewed the video at NBC News’ request, said it appears to have come from a known Russian disinformation group, noting that details of a previous video about Ukraine match it.
You would think just actually finding some poor Palestinian schlub to commit a terrorist act on Russia’s behalf would have been easy enough. I wouldn’t be shocked if there were some Palestinian refugees in Russia who have since found out that it is not a good place to seek asylum.
Used to be you’d hear of Russian Jews moving to Israel. I had not heard of Palestinians fleeing to Russia. What a strange world we live in.