CRPE publishes a new report “Propaganda wars: the role of disinformation in the Israel-Hamas conflict and its Romanian reach“, which analyses how the Israel-Hamas conflict has been used as a tool for disinformation in the local digital ecosystem, amplifying polarisation, conspiracy theories and pro-Kremlin propaganda in Romania and the Black Sea region. The study looks at the tactics used by different actors to amplify polarization and undermine public trust in correct decisions.
The report, in English, is available here.
Our partners present similar results for Bulgaria, Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova.
Disinformation in the Israel-Hamas conflict
Key findings from the Romania report:
A highly polarizing topic: the Israel-Hamas conflict was presented as a global crisis of instability, linked to the power games between Iran, Russia and the US. The reports focused on the humanitarian impact, emphasizing the divisions regarding the responsibilities of Israel and Hamas.
The references and connection to the war in Ukraine was significant: 400 articles/posts drew parallels between the Israel-Hamas conflict and the war in Ukraine, some explaining the contexts, others reinforcing narratives about NATO, the US, or Russia’s geopolitical strategies.
Disinformation narratives that serve Russian propaganda have been circulated online and on social media platforms in Romania. Some of them fuel conspiracy theories and anti-Semitism.
- “Ukrainian weapons used by Hamas” – A false narrative, promoted by the Kremlin, claiming that the Hamas used weapons supplied to Ukraine by the West, in order to discredit Ukraine and its allies.
- “Israel orchestrated the Hamas attack of October 7” – A conspiracy theory aimed at undermining Israel’s credibility, claiming that the attack was staged to justify an invasion of Gaza.
Main sources of disinformation (according to monitoring conducted between October 2023 and October 2024):
- 30-50% of conspiratorial content about the Israel-Hamas conflict in Romania came from blogs and comment sections, targeting vulnerable audiences with emotional, misleading and anti-Semitic narratives, including the “Khazar conspiracy”, which was reactivated during the conflict.
- There is a worrying “fact-checking gap”: only 0.2% of articles about the Israel-Hamas war published in the Romanian press addressed disinformation or debunked fake news, highlighting a major deficit in proactive fact-checking.
The report also presents exclusive details for this topic about public perception & exposure to disinformation (focus on the Israel – Hamas conflict)
- 32% of Romanians got their information from the national press about this conflict
- 27% say they relied on information predominantly from social media (Facebook & TikTok).
- 37% of respondents believe that the information consumed is accurate, while 44% declared a low level of trust in the available sources.
Cross country report – main findings: regional patterns and shared vulnerabilities in the Black Sea region
Moreover, within the framework of the Disinfo4BlackSea project, CRPE, together with partners from Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, and Georgia conducted an extensive country specific and cross-country analysis focused on how mis/disinformation related to the Israel-Hamas conflict affected media environments, online narratives and public perceptions across the region.
You can find the full cross country report here.
Despite national specificities, the analysis showed common trends:
- The narrative claiming that Ukraine is supplying weapons to Hamas circulated widely in Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia.
- Anti-Western conspiracies portraying Israel as controlling global politics or staging the October 7 attacks were present in Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia.
- In Moldova, the Russian-speaking population was heavily targeted by Kremlin-driven narratives linking the Gaza conflict to broader anti-Western themes.
The media landscape under pressure
The country reports confirmed that mainstream media in Romania, Bulgaria, and Georgia struggled to counter narratives effectively due to limited resources and the speed of disinformation spread online. Fact-checking initiatives remained underfunded and reactive. Media coverage has been relevant and consistent but the information ecosystem has been targeted by content amplification through conspiracy-driven platforms, fringe websites, and Telegram channels.
The reports behind the cross-country analysis
This cross-country analysis is based on key findings, extensive media and social monitoring work using different technology-related tools for social listening. The country-specific reports produced within the project provide a detailed look into each context:
- “Disinformation Targeting the Israel-Hamas Conflict: Insights from Romania” (Country Report Romania, CRPE)
- “Disinformation in Bulgaria Related to the Israel-Hamas Conflict: Narratives, Amplifiers, and Public Perceptions” (Country Report Bulgaria, CSD)
- “The Kremlin’s Weaponization of the Israel-Hamas War in Ukraine’s Information Space” (Country Report Ukraine, CSD)
- “Russian Disinformation on the Israel-Hamas Conflict in Georgia: Tracking Kremlin-Aligned Narratives” (Country Report Georgia, CSD)
- “Disinformation in the Context of the Israel-Hamas Conflict as Seen from Moldova” (Country Report Moldova)
What’s next
This regional analysis highlights a crucial need for coordinated action in the Black Sea region: enhanced media literacy, public awareness, stronger fact-checking capacity, and rapid response mechanisms are essential in the fight against hybrid disinformation campaigns.
CRPE calls for continued cross-border cooperation, technological innovation, and multi-stakeholder engagement to protect democratic societies against manipulation and malign influence operations.
This project is supported by the European Media & Information Fund (EMIF). Our partners iG4Media, Veridica and CSD Bulgaria, work with us to strengthen regional media resilience and combat disinformation related to armed conflicts.