The video of an Israeli soldier applying pig fat to a bullet lacks evidence and is misleading!

Last week, a viral video claimed to show an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier applying pig fat to a bullet used in combat against Hamas.

Social Media Post

A Twitter (X) user has posted a video claiming to be an Israeli soldier, along with the text caption:

"Israeli soldiers lubricate bullets with pork fat. This is a perfect way to deal with IsIamic terrorists because they’re hardly afraid of being kiIIed, all they’re afraid of is being impure & missing 72 Hoors!"

The video had received over 500K views and has been reposted multiple times on the platform.

Source | Archive

Here is another instance of the same video video, which has been reposted on Instagram with over 11K likes so far.

Source | Archive

It has been spreading across multiple platforms, including TikTok and Youtube as well.

Fact-Check

No Reliable Source Found

We have conducted an investigation and searched for the source of the video in question but have not found any credible source. Additionally, there have been no reports from reliable news sources regarding the video or the claim that Israeli soldiers are applying pig fat on the bullet.

However, there was a report from Al Jazeera in 2022 that Ukrainian fighters used pig-fat-coated bullets before fighting against the Chechen rebel group, who were Muslim fighters supporting the Russian military group. The report can be found here. Additionally, in February 2022, the National Guard of Ukraine posted a video on their official Twitter account that was similar to the aforementioned video.

Prohibition on the Consumption of Pork in Islam and Judaism

Even though the teachings of Islam prohibit Muslims from consuming pork, it is stated in the Quran (2:173) that:

“He has only forbidden you ˹to eat˺ carrion, blood, swine,1 and what is slaughtered in the name of any other than Allah. But if someone is compelled by necessity—neither driven by desire nor exceeding immediate need—they will not be sinful. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Source)

Hence, contacting or inadvertently consuming pork, even out of necessity, is not considered a sin in Islam.

Furthermore, the main religion of Israelis, Judaism, also prohibits the consumption of pork. In Leviticus, a book that outlines the rules and rituals for Israelites to follow, it specifically states:

"And the pig, though it has a divided hoof, does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. You must not eat their meat or touch their carcasses; they are unclean for you." (Leviticus 11:7-8 | Source)

In addition to religious prohibitions, Israel has two laws related to pork consumption. The first is the Pork Law enacted in 1962, which prohibits the breeding and slaughter of pigs nationwide. The second is the Meat Law enacted in 1994, which prohibits the importation of non-kosher meat products into Israel (Source: National Institute of Health). These laws have resulted in the assertion that videos depicting Israeli soldiers applying pig fat on bullets are deemed less relevant due to the country's laws and religious practices.

IDF Uniforms

A Twitter user (X) has pointed out that the uniforms and equipment worn by the individual in the video do not seem to resemble IDF military uniforms. They also mentioned that military equipment similar to what is shown in the video can be easily purchased online, making it challenging to verify if the individuals are genuine Israeli soldiers or not.

Left: Picture from the viral clip | Right: Picture of an Israeli soldier from The Times of Israel

IDF has not yet entered Gaza

During the past week, which is the period when the viral video mentioned began to appear on social media, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has not conducted a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip. However, IDF units have utilized drones and artillery attacks to target Hamas armed groups. Nevertheless, the soldiers in the mentioned video are shown loading ammunition into their firearms, implying their involvement in the battlefield, which contradicts the reported situation during that timeframe. (Source: Onlyfact)

However, as of October 17, Israel has been making preparations for a ground operation into the Gaza Strip. Last week, they amassed troops at the border. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated on Saturday that they were "preparing to implement a wide range of offensive operative plans." These plans will include an integrated and coordinated attack from the air, sea, and land against Palestinian militants Hamas in Gaza (Source: CNBC).

Summary

The viral video claiming to show the Israeli soldier applying pig fat to the bullets used in combat against Hamas is highly likely to be a manipulated video. This is because, at the time the video appeared on social media, the Israeli military had not yet launched a ground offensive into the Gaza Strip. Additionally, there are religious and legal prohibitions regarding the consumption or handling of pork, as well as the importation of pork into Israel. Furthermore, the differences in the appearance of the individual in the video and the actual IDF uniforms suggest that the video, along with the accompanying claims, is misleading.

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Title:Video of an Israeli soldier applying pig fat to a bullet lacks evidence and is misleading

Written By: Fact Crescendo Team

Result: Misleading