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3 TikTok Creators Who Are Sharing News-Driven Updates On Israel & Palestine

Over the weekend of Oct. 7, 2023, many people in the U.S. were living their normal day-to-day lives, while across the world, lives were ultimately changed forever. On Oct. 7, Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, launched a surprise attack on Israel, the most significant attack in 50 years on Israeli soil. The attack started by Hamas firing thousands of rockets, their destinations ranging from Tel Aviv to parts of Jerusalem.

Shortly after firing rockets, Hamas crossed into Israel, attacking from land, sea, and air, resulting in at least 900 Israeli deaths and taking more than 100 hostages, including women, children, and elderly people. Hamas largely controls the Gaza Strip, which is home to more than 2 million Palestinians — and is the epicenter of Israel’s retaliation after the weekend attack, launching airstrikes on Gaza and enforcing a full-scale “siege” on the strip, allowing no food, water, electricity, or fuel to the area. The death toll in Gaza is now over 700.

It is important to recognize that the Israel-Palestine conflict has been building up for decades, and is a very layered issue with violence coming from both sides, but we can all agree that civilian deaths in both Gaza and Israel are inhumane. In the days after the surprise attack on Israel, the media went rampant with endless news stories and reporting, but the information can become dense and difficult to comprehend. Fortunately, there are amazing TikTok creators who report news updates on the Israel-Palestine war that are easier to absorb. 

Here are three TikTok creators to follow to keep yourselves aware of the conflict in the Middle East.

@UndertheDeskNews
@underthedesknews

There are folks on here that can take you deeper into the first person stories of folks in the conflict zone and the history. You can count on me for updates only as they relate to the American political and military response which is where I have the most access and experience. #greenscreen

♬ original sound – UnderTheDeskNews

Under The Desk News, run by creator V Spehar, is an incredible platform of concise and factual news, with a calm delivery. Spehar gives both sides to every story, which is crucial for the context needed on the Israel-Palestine war. They also do not show any triggering photos of the conflict, giving viewers relief and a break from the violence.

@FreekDaGemini

Creator FreekDaGemini is an untraditional news creator, covering a range of topics. Currently, he is covering ton of news updates about the Israel-Palestine conflict while also giving his 1 million followers quick history recaps. One of his recent TikToks features a simpler version of the history of Israel and Palestine’s complex relationship that gave me a lot of insight.

@PhilipDeFranco
@philipdefranco

Israel To Begin Total Siege Of Gaza #usa #israel Israel has announced the total siege of Gaza. Saying “there will be no electricity, no food, no fuel. We are fighting human animals and we will act accordingly.” They’ve also reportedly cut off Gaza’s water supply. Adding that “this is a war for our existence and we will do things never seen before”. Israel has reportedly told the United States that it will conduct a ground invasion of Gaza, and they have so far mobilized over 300,000 soldiers. Gaza is currently under very intense bombing, with Israel hitting over a hundred targets an hour. The bombing is only expected to increase in intensity. There are reports of entire city blocks being destroyed. At least 1,000 Israelis have been killed as of recording in Hamas’ terror attacks. And at least 9 Americans were reportedly killed in the attacks as well, with several more still held hostage. At least 560 Palestinians have died in Israel’s return strikes with an additional 2,900 wounded. There are reports of clashing between Israel and the P-I-J on their border with Lebanon. Israel is reportedly cooperating with the US military for this operation, with Israel saying that if there are attempts by Iranian proxies to act, it may lead to an attack from America The EU has suspended all aid payments to Palestine. Saying that the scale of terror and brutality against Israel and its people is a turning point.

♬ original sound – Philip DeFranco

Philip DeFranco posts content about the latest news stories from around the world. DeFranco uses real footage related to the news stories he reports while giving quick and concise information to keep you updated throughout the day. His content surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict gives multiple sides to each story.

Brooklyn Frederes is a Her Campus Writer for the Culture and Entertainment section. She writes content about a range of topics, such as pop culture, beauty, fashion, relationships, and self-help. Brooklyn recently graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in Journalism and English with a publishing track, where she focused on fiction and creative writing. She also was a writer and editor for the University of Iowa's Her Campus Chapter, writing and reflecting on personal experiences. In her free time, you can find Brooklyn reading romance novels, brainstorming book ideas, binging time period dramas, spending her money on makeup and skincare products, or hanging out with her sisters. She also is a day-one Swiftie who loves talking about anything Taylor Swift related and obsesses over her music.