YouTuber Ms. Rachel accused of spreading Hamas propaganda
What's the story
YouTube sensation Rachel Griffin Accurso (42), famous for her Songs for Littles series, is under the radar of antisemitism watchdog group StopAntisemitism.
The group has accused her of spreading anti-Israel content and pro-Hamas propaganda through her posts about the Gaza conflict.
In a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, StopAntisemitism's director Liora Rez called for an investigation into whether Accurso is being paid for promoting Hamas-aligned content to her millions of followers.
Content controversy
StopAntisemitism's concerns over Accurso's content
StopAntisemitism flagged multiple posts by Accurso, better known as Ms. Rachel, discussing the plight of children in Gaza amid the ongoing war.
The organization claimed that what she posted was either debunked or disputed by Israel.
"Given the vast sums of foreign funds that have been directed toward propagandizing our young people on college campuses, we suspect there is a similar dynamic in the online influencer space," Rez wrote to Bondi, per the New York Post.
Allegations
Accurso allegedly ignored Israeli suffering
The group accused Accurso of incorporating "Hamas-like propagated images and stories into her content."
Rez alleged that her posts have largely ignored the suffering of Israeli victims, hostages, and Jewish children while consistently amplifying misinformation from Hamas and other anti-Israel sources.
The content in question was largely posted on Accurso's Instagram account, which has 2.5 million followers and usually appeals to adults.
Content details
Body objected to viral image of child but counterclaims present
Among the disputed content shared by Accurso were viral images of a child, purportedly showing starvation in Gaza.
StopAntisemitism claimed these images were debunked and that the child, Fadi al-Zant, wasn't starving but suffering from cystic fibrosis.
However, the child's mother has clarified to The Washington Post that her son was indeed suffering from both cystic fibrosis and starvation.
Controversial information
Accurso accused of using Ministry's death toll figures
Accurso also drew flak for citing the death toll given by the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, which doesn't separate terrorists from civilians.
StopAntisemitism claimed the estimate of nearly 15,000 children having died in conflict was misleading.
But, the United Nations has reported similar figures, too.
No comment
Accurso's response to the allegations
Accurso, who lives in New York City with her music director husband Aron Accurso, has not addressed the allegations.
Meanwhile, when The Post asked Rez if they had any proof that Accurso had taken money for pro-Hamas posts, she said, "We could not help but notice post 10/7, Ms. Rachel posting a massive barrage of anti-Israel propaganda. This was at the same time as other social media influencers were being paid to post."