German ambassador retracts false viral claim

Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, stated that he had shared a fabricated account related to the October 7, 2023 events. The statement was made on August 29, 2024, in a post on the social media platform X, where he acknowledged that a widely circulated story he had referenced was not authentic.

The claim involved a purported suicide letter attributed to a survivor of the Nova music festival. The letter described alleged trauma linked to witnessing sexual violence during the attacks. Seibert said the document “turns out it was a fake” and expressed regret for having shared it, describing the fabrication as an “appalling act.”

The story was investigated by Israeli television program Hatzinor on Channel 13, which reported that the individuals referenced in the letter could not be verified and that the account was not genuine. The findings contributed to the clarification issued by the ambassador.

German officials have continued to reference reports from international organizations regarding the events of October 7. Statements from Germany’s foreign ministry have cited findings from United Nations sources indicating there were reasonable grounds to investigate allegations of conflict-related sexual violence.

The German government’s position has remained unchanged regarding its broader assessment of the events, while distinguishing the retracted claim as a separate incident involving misinformation. Officials have not indicated any policy changes following the clarification.