A widely shared online image of two IDF soldiers holding piles of branded Pizza Hut boxes was reposted on the Israeli Instagram account of the restaurant chain.
The two soldiers, initially uploaded by a user with the alias @alex_shults, are depicted in uniform and smiling.
Prominent brands have encountered global boycotts due to perceived endorsement of Israel’s retaliatory actions in the Gaza Strip subsequent to the October 7 assaults carried out by Hamas. Prominent examples include McDonald’s and Starbucks, which have both faced criticism from pro-Palestinian advocates.
A Palestinian youth news agency, the Quds News Network, uploaded an additional image to a distinct Instagram story on X (previously Twitter), which depicted an Israeli soldier engaging in a photoshoot with a stack of pizza cartons.
Israeli soldiers expressing gratitude to Pizza Hut franchises in Israel for providing free meals to military bases. pic.twitter.com/kTYp1I7hNW
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) January 19, 2024
An image of him with one arm resting on the crates and the other on a rifle was published by an account bearing the caption “Proud to assist.” The image contains the inscription “For the love of Israel.” According to the Quds Network, the pizzas were delivered to Israeli military bases for gratis.
At this time, we are unable to verify the claim.
Online, pro-Palestinian supporters have reacted angrily to the postings by threatening to discontinue their purchases from the chain and have even urged others to do the same.
As of the time of writing, the X site had received over 157,000 posts with the hashtag #BoycottPizzaHut.
Nevertheless, there were those who opposed the hashtag. Advocacy for Israel retaliated against the suggested boycott. The Quds Network post was cited by Eli Lake, who wrote, “Better for Pizza Hut.”
Good for Pizza Hut. https://t.co/hsiNr7GySC
— Eli Lake (@EliLake) January 20, 2024
