Pro-Palestine accounts removed due to ‘hacking’ amid Israel-Hamas war: Meta

Meta, the owner of Instagram and Facebook, has responded after it was called out for removing accounts that were used to share content from inside Gaza with millions of followers.

The company said the accounts were removed after its staff detected a possible hacking attempt.

The @eye.on.palestine Instagram account had more than 6 million followers when it was deleted. Its backup account @eye.on.palestine2, was also reportedly deleted, as well as its Facebook and Threads accounts.

The @EyeonPalestine has also disappeared on X, formerly known as Twitter, and is listed as no longer being in existence.

The accounts had been posting videos and images from inside Gaza and have been an integral platform for activists sharing updates on the escalating violence in the besieged city.

Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes on the strip, home to 2.3 million people, after a Hamas incursion into the country’s south on October 7.

“These accounts were initially locked for security reasons after signs of compromise, and we’re working to make contact with the account owners to ensure they have access,” Meta spokesperson Andy Stone said in a statement.

“We did not disable these accounts because of any content they were sharing,” he said.

The removal of the accounts sparked anger among followers, with hundreds of people calling on Meta to bring them back. Many have accused the platform of censoring pro-Palestinian news since October 7.

Users with public Instagram accounts have also reported a significant drop in the number of views on their stories in an attempt to “shadow ban” content in support of Palestine.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Read more:

‘I feel helpless’: How to deal with guilt, anxiety from graphic Gaza images

Gaza needs full ceasefire for aid to get in: Palestinian FM

Israel ground forces raid Hamas sites in Gaza, withdraw: Military statement