Old photo of child in cardboard box from Greece falsely shared as Palestine

By: Annet Preethi Furtado
October 20 2023

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Screenshot of the viral posts circulating online. (Source: X/Screenshots/Modified by Logically Facts)

What's the claim?

Multiple users on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) have shared an image of a woman seated next to a cardboard box with a child in it, claiming it originates from Palestine. In the viral image, the woman is holding what appears to be a cup, and beside her, a child is seated inside the cardboard box. In the background, a group of people are seen, including a woman, a baby stroller with a child, two other children standing, and a tent in the backdrop.

One user captioned it on X: "O Allah, help and protect the people of Palestin. O Allah, ease their pain and suffering. O Allah, bestower of Mercy, bestow your mercy on them. Open people's hearts to give in this time of crisis. O Allah, help those who are in need, wherever they may be." The archived versions can be found here and here.

Screenshot of online posts (Source: X/Screenshot/Modified by Logically Facts)

However, the claim is false; the image is from a camp in Idomeni, Greece, dating back to 2016.

What are the facts?

Upon conducting a reverse image search, we found that the image was originally published in 2016 as part of a report by the New Humanitarian, an independent non-profit news agency focused on humanitarian stories. The report centered on documenting daily life at the Idomeni Camp and highlighted that approximately 11,500 people were stranded at the makeshift camp in Idomeni, Greece. The report showcased the work of three photojournalists who captured the challenging circumstances on behalf of the Spanish photo-documentation NGO Fotomovimiento.

The caption of the viral image reads: "A small child sits in an empty cardboard box. Many people have not had adequate, comfortable places to sleep. (Rober Astorgano/Fotomovimiento)."

In 2018, photographer Astorgano shared the viral image on Facebook and stated that he had taken the photograph two years earlier in Idomeni. The caption in Spanish said that he was pleased to see his photo from Idomeni, taken over two years ago, going viral again and reaching a global audience. However, he lamented that some were wrongfully claiming ownership of it. His hope was that the image could continue to raise awareness about the suffering endured by people worldwide seeking a dignified life away from war and violence.

Logically has contacted Astorgano for a comment and will update this fact check if and when we receive a response. 

2016 migrant crisis in Greece

In 2016, a report by National Geographic revealed that more than 12,000 refugees and migrants were trapped in a camp in Idomeni, Greece, as European borders increasingly tightened. The living conditions in the Idomeni refugee camp had deteriorated to an unbearable state, marked by severe shortages of vital resources like food, water, and basic necessities, reported France 24. The majority of these evacuees hailed from conflict-affected regions such as Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Furthermore, a May 2016 BBC report documented the evacuation of numerous stranded migrants from the Idomeni camp. They were relocated to specialized processing facilities approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) south, near Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city. 

The verdict

A photograph depicting a child inside a cardboard box, which was originally captured at the Idomeni Camp in Greece in 2016, has been circulating on social media with a false claim that it was taken in Palestine. Therefore, we have marked the claim as false.