Photo of Netanyahu with son was taken in 2014, not amid ongoing Israel-Hamas war | Fact check

The claim: Image shows Benjamin Netanyahu sending son to fight against Hamas in 2023

An Oct. 12 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) shows a photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tenderly touching the face of a young man.

“Benjamin Netanyahu sending his son on National Duty to Participate in the w@r against Hamas-Israeli Army (sic),” reads text included in the image.

The post received more than 6,000 likes in one day. Other versions of the claim were shared on Facebook and X, formerly known as Twitter.

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Our rating: False

The photo dates back to 2014, when the prime minister's youngest son, Avner Netanyahu, began his mandatory military service. It was not taken during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Israeli outlets published photo in December 2014

Most Israeli citizens are required to serve in the Israel Defense Forces once they’re 18 years old. Men are expected to serve at least 32 months, while women serve at least two years, according to the military organization's website.

The photo in the Instagram post matches one that initially appeared in 2014, when outlets including The Jerusalem Post and The Times of Israel reported on Avner Netanyahu starting his mandatory military service.  The image shows the prime minister saying goodbye to his son before he leaves for army training.

Avner Netanyahu finished his military tenure in 2017, as reported by Israel National News.

Fact check: Historic Gaza church open for services, undamaged by Israeli airstrikes

Yair Netanyahu, the prime minister’s oldest son, started his mandatory military service in 2009.

USA TODAY has debunked an array of false claims stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, including that a video showed a pro-Palestine march in Chicago in October 2023, that a video showed missile attacks by Hamas against Israel and that former President Donald Trump said Israel "hypnotized the world" and committed "evil doings."

USA TODAY reached out to several users who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Newschecker, the Quint and BOOM Fact Check also debunked the claim.

Our fact-check sources:

• Israel National News, Dec. 1, 2017, Netanyahu’s son released from IDF 

• The Jerusalem Post, Dec. 1, 2014, Shine your shoes! Netanyahu’s youngest son begins army service 

• The Times of Israel, Dec. 1, 2014, Netanyahus see son off to join the IDF

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Netanyahu's son joined Israel Defense Forces in 2014 | Fact check