Israel is buying Google ads to discredit the UN aid agency in Gaza.

The Israeli government had reportedly paid Google to run a campaign aimed at discrediting the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) through targeted online ads, according to a report published by Wired.

During this period, Israel accused twelve UNRWA staff members of participating in a Hamas attack on Israel in October, alleging that UNRWA was acting as a cover for Hamas. Israeli officials also called on international donors, including the United States, to stop funding the agency.

The campaign’s objective was to tarnish UNRWA’s image and decrease donations to UNRWA USA, which had seen a surge in contributions due to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

A source within Google indicated that the campaign was particularly unusual, marking the first known instance in several years where the Israeli government had targeted political ads in Arab countries.

The campaign appeared to conclude around May, following inquiries from WIRED directed at Israel’s foreign ministry and Middle Eastern publishers. Thus, it remains unclear whether the ads are currently active or not, as Google does not have a clear stance on the political advertisement from Israel outside its territory.

There are these from the Google employees perceiving the company as benefiting from what they regard as Israeli attempts to blame others or divert attention, away from its role in the Gaza situation while simultaneously pointing at UNRWA. For instance, one employee said, “You should not accept that money.””

UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma condemned the ads, asserting that they had significantly damaged the agency’s reputation. “These ads are destructive to people,” she stated. “They should stop, and those responsible for this sabotage should be held accountable. There needs to be substantial follow-up with companies like Google once the war is over. There’s a lot to answer for.”