Google, one of the world’s leading technology giants, has reportedly signed a six-month, USD 45 million (Rs 3,96,58,89,820) contract with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office to promote government messaging and counter reports of the worsening humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip.
According to Drop Site News, the agreement, finalised in late June, positions Google as a central partner in advancing Netanyahu’s public relations strategy. The campaign was launched shortly after Israel imposed a blockade on Gaza on March 2, restricting food, medicine, and fuel, raising concerns among officials about public backlash.
Government-sponsored content has since been widely promoted across Google platforms, including YouTube. A video from Israel’s Foreign Ministry claiming “There is food in Gaza. Any other claim is a lie” has been viewed over six million times, largely through paid promotion. Documents describe these efforts as “hasbara,” a term often translated as Israeli government propaganda.
In addition to Google, Israel reportedly spent USD 3 million on ads via the social media platform X and USD 2.1 million through Outbrain/Teads. Similar campaigns in the past year have targeted the United Nations and Gaza authorities, accusing them of obstructing aid delivery.
This comes as the United Nations has officially declared a famine in Gaza, warning of a “slide into massive famine,” while the International Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) has indicated that the situation is “entirely man-made.”
The Gaza Health Ministry reported 185 starvation-related deaths in August, including 12 children, the highest monthly toll since the conflict began in October 2023. More than 43,000 children under five and 55,000 pregnant or breastfeeding women are suffering from malnutrition.
Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has killed at least 63,746 Palestinians and injured 161,245 others, according to the health ministry.
