New disclosures have shed light on a $45 million agreement between Google and the Israeli prime minister’s office, adding to scrutiny of how major US technology companies are involved in the Gaza conflict. The contract, DropSiteNews, which began in June 2025 and runs through the end of the year, commits Google’s advertising systems to promote official Israeli messaging at a time when international monitors are reporting famine and widespread civilian suffering.
The arrangement is led by Lapam, Israel’s Government Advertising Agency, which reports directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Internal records describe the deal as a hasbara campaign, a Hebrew term for government-run propaganda. Documents show Google’s YouTube and its Display & Video 360 platform as the main outlets, though funds were also routed to other networks. These included $3 million spent on X, about $2.1 million through Outbrain and Teads, and additional amounts directed to Meta services.
One of the most visible outputs was a YouTube video released by Israel’s foreign ministry late in the summer. The clip told viewers there was no shortage of food in Gaza and dismissed claims of hunger as false. It drew more than 7 million views, a reach bolstered by paid promotions under the government’s deal with Google. The timing drew attention because only days earlier the UN had confirmed that northern Gaza had entered famine, while aid groups warned that conditions were worsening elsewhere. Gaza’s health ministry reported that more than 360 people, including over 130 children, had already died of hunger or related causes since the blockade began in March.
The intent behind the strategy was acknowledged openly. At a Knesset hearing on March 2, hours after restrictions on food, fuel, and medicine were enforced, lawmakers questioned military officials not about humanitarian risks but about plans for digital campaigns. Records show senior figures assuring them that counter-messaging was already underway. By June, the $45 million contract was signed and promotions had begun at scale.
The campaign went beyond denying famine. Ads also targeted international organisations. Some accused the UN Relief and Works Agency of blocking aid deliveries, while others circulated claims that the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Palestinian advocacy group, was linked to extremist ideology. These accusations lacked evidence but still spread widely across Google’s networks. Misbar, an Arab fact-checking group, later characterised the operation as a propaganda surge built on disinformation to justify military action.
The reach extended outside Gaza. Documents confirm that part of the contract funded ads framing Israel’s twelve-day bombing of Iran, known as Operation Rising Lion, as defensive. Independent monitors say the strikes killed more than 430 civilians. Under the agreement, ads described the assault as essential for security in Israel and the West.
This campaign fits a broader pattern. Members of Netanyahu’s coalition have publicly advocated the use of deprivation as a weapon, arguing that Gaza’s population should be cut off from food, water, and electricity until they gave in or left. While humanitarian groups condemned such statements, the ad campaigns on American platforms promoted a different narrative that played down or denied the consequences.
Google’s role has added to ongoing controversy over its connections to Israel’s military infrastructure. The company is already under criticism for Project Nimbus, a $1 billion cloud contract it shares with Amazon that serves government agencies including the defence ministry. Human rights groups argue that the new advertising deal shifts Google’s role from infrastructure provider to active participant in shaping public perception of the war.
The reaction has reached inside the company. Leaked reports from employee forums show co-founder Sergey Brin dismissing a UN inquiry that accused Google of profiting from genocide, calling it antisemitic. His remarks deepened unease among staff about leadership’s stance. For workers concerned about ethical lines, the revelation that Google platforms are carrying paid campaigns denying famine while aid agencies issue urgent warnings has become a central issue.
The disclosures raise wider questions about the role of technology companies when their platforms are used to broadcast official narratives that clash with verified humanitarian evidence. With the contract due to run until December, pressure on Silicon Valley firms over their involvement in state-led campaigns is likely to intensify in the months ahead.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
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The arrangement is led by Lapam, Israel’s Government Advertising Agency, which reports directly to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Internal records describe the deal as a hasbara campaign, a Hebrew term for government-run propaganda. Documents show Google’s YouTube and its Display & Video 360 platform as the main outlets, though funds were also routed to other networks. These included $3 million spent on X, about $2.1 million through Outbrain and Teads, and additional amounts directed to Meta services.
One of the most visible outputs was a YouTube video released by Israel’s foreign ministry late in the summer. The clip told viewers there was no shortage of food in Gaza and dismissed claims of hunger as false. It drew more than 7 million views, a reach bolstered by paid promotions under the government’s deal with Google. The timing drew attention because only days earlier the UN had confirmed that northern Gaza had entered famine, while aid groups warned that conditions were worsening elsewhere. Gaza’s health ministry reported that more than 360 people, including over 130 children, had already died of hunger or related causes since the blockade began in March.
The intent behind the strategy was acknowledged openly. At a Knesset hearing on March 2, hours after restrictions on food, fuel, and medicine were enforced, lawmakers questioned military officials not about humanitarian risks but about plans for digital campaigns. Records show senior figures assuring them that counter-messaging was already underway. By June, the $45 million contract was signed and promotions had begun at scale.
The campaign went beyond denying famine. Ads also targeted international organisations. Some accused the UN Relief and Works Agency of blocking aid deliveries, while others circulated claims that the Hind Rajab Foundation, a Palestinian advocacy group, was linked to extremist ideology. These accusations lacked evidence but still spread widely across Google’s networks. Misbar, an Arab fact-checking group, later characterised the operation as a propaganda surge built on disinformation to justify military action.
The reach extended outside Gaza. Documents confirm that part of the contract funded ads framing Israel’s twelve-day bombing of Iran, known as Operation Rising Lion, as defensive. Independent monitors say the strikes killed more than 430 civilians. Under the agreement, ads described the assault as essential for security in Israel and the West.
This campaign fits a broader pattern. Members of Netanyahu’s coalition have publicly advocated the use of deprivation as a weapon, arguing that Gaza’s population should be cut off from food, water, and electricity until they gave in or left. While humanitarian groups condemned such statements, the ad campaigns on American platforms promoted a different narrative that played down or denied the consequences.
Google’s role has added to ongoing controversy over its connections to Israel’s military infrastructure. The company is already under criticism for Project Nimbus, a $1 billion cloud contract it shares with Amazon that serves government agencies including the defence ministry. Human rights groups argue that the new advertising deal shifts Google’s role from infrastructure provider to active participant in shaping public perception of the war.
The reaction has reached inside the company. Leaked reports from employee forums show co-founder Sergey Brin dismissing a UN inquiry that accused Google of profiting from genocide, calling it antisemitic. His remarks deepened unease among staff about leadership’s stance. For workers concerned about ethical lines, the revelation that Google platforms are carrying paid campaigns denying famine while aid agencies issue urgent warnings has become a central issue.
The disclosures raise wider questions about the role of technology companies when their platforms are used to broadcast official narratives that clash with verified humanitarian evidence. With the contract due to run until December, pressure on Silicon Valley firms over their involvement in state-led campaigns is likely to intensify in the months ahead.
Notes: This post was edited/created using GenAI tools. Image: DIW-Aigen.
Read next:
• Tree Planting Overhyped: Study Warns Forests Cannot Replace Fossil Fuel Cuts
• Digital Legacy AI Founder Glenn Devitt Revolutionizes Storage for Posthumous Data Access
