Susceptibility to misinformation and propaganda during wartime: Evidence from the Israel‐Gaza war

Abstract Advances in digital technologies have facilitated the creation and dissemination of misinformation, creating a complex information ecosystem where distinguishing between real and fake content has become increasingly challenging. Wars, in particular, present a unique case in which misinformation is often weaponized to shape public perception, both domestically and internationally. While individual differences in susceptibility to misinformation are well documented, research in this context remains sparse. Our study addressed this gap by examining individual differences in susceptibility to misinformation and propaganda during the Israel‐Gaza war. Using a sample of 792 Israeli participants, we assessed participants' ability to distinguish between real and fake news headlines, covering both war‐specific and war‐neutral content. We tested a range of predictors, including cognitive, moral, socio‐political, and conflict‐specific variables. The results showed that enemy dehumanization, conspiracy mentality, willingness to act violently for political ideology, social media activity, and skepticism are associated with lower discrimination ability. In addition, discrimination ability was lower for war‐specific news and among participants with right‐wing political ideology. Taken together, the study offered insights into the mechanisms underlying susceptibility to misinformation during wars.