Lebanon pager attack: Social media users condemn 'inhumane' posts mocking blast victims
Hundreds of people have taken to social media to respond to a slew of "dehumanising" videos and posts by pro-Israeli accounts celebrating recent pager and hand-held radio attacks in Lebanon.
Over two days, coordinated blasts targeting Hezhollah hit thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies across the country, killing 37 people and wounding more than 3,000 others.
Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attacks, it is widely blamed for them. Pro-Israel voices have praised the explosions as a prime example of Israel's military and intelligence capabilities.
In one clip, Israeli internet personality Noya Cohen can be seen wearing the Muslim headscarf whilst speaking in mock Arabic. When she picks up her phone, it explodes.
It is in apparent reference to the fact that some of the detonations this week occurred after pagers went off, prompting their owners to bring them close to their faces or hands to check the screens.
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Variations of the video have have since become viral amongst pro-Israeli accounts.
Nick Matau, an influencer who has campaigned heavily for Israel, hopped on the trend by pretending to be a Hezbollah member. Face covered in a red keffiyeh, he picks up his ringing phone, which then explodes, leaving him without a hand.
Meanwhile, Israeli social media influencer Einav Avizemer mocked the deadly explosions by calling them “operation below the belt”.
“It’s very hard to eliminate you one by one. You were attacking us for 11 months… and we did not even shoot one bullet. Just a beep,” she says in the video, later showing clips of the detonations while making fun of them.
Social media users criticised these types of posts and videos as "callous", "inhumane" and "depraved".
It must have been exhausting for supporters of Israel to keep pretending they have any shred of humanity - so they’ve decided to stop even doing that https://t.co/kYZFuYNd6J
— Stephen Smith (@SteveNickSmith) September 19, 2024
Many commenters denounced American actor and comedian Michael Rapaport, who filmed himself laughing in response to the pager blasts, for ridiculing the victims, which included civilians.
“Imagine looking back on your life and you were laughing at dead children,” one user commented, referring to the two children who were killed in the attacks.
"It goes to show with out a doubt true colour are show. Not one inch of compassion. I don’t support either side but a life lost isn’t something to boast about," another user wrote.
Comments on Rapaport's post have since been limited.
Several social media users also accused the people mocking the victims of the explosions of being ableist, or discriminatory against people with disabilities.
Many of the thousands of people who have been maimed have injuries to the head, eyes, stomach and limbs. Many have lost fingers, and hundreds remain in critical condition.
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