Alex Pretti's photos have been widely circulated online as many mourn the 37-year-old nurse shot dead by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The incident on January 24 sparked massive outrage, but as pictures of Pretti began to circulate, many online started making comparisons with Malkia Gross, an Israeli soldier killed in Gaza.
The links were made based on their physical similarities. Both Pretti and Gross look alike in photos with their glasses and beards. Social media users were quick to point to this.
“According to Grok Alex Preti is 90-95% the same person as Malkia Gross, an IDF soldier killed in Gaza in 2024,” said another.
Another person sharing the photos wrote “Welcome to the psyop.”
{{/usCountry}}Another person sharing the photos wrote “Welcome to the psyop.”
{{/usCountry}}Despite some similarities, Pretti and Gross are different people. One person even countered the comparisons being drawn, and wrote on X, “I simply pointed out he looks nothing like Pretti.”
Who is Malkia Gross?
Malkia Gross served with the IDF, Israel's army, and lost his life in June 2024. He was fighting in the southern Gaza strip, The Times of Israel reported. The 25-year-old belonged to the 205th “Iron Fist” Reserve Armored Brigade’s 9212th Battalion.
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As per the report, Gross had finished his studies and aimed at being a math teacher. He reportedly taught during his training and was ‘beloved by his students’.
Pretti, meanwhile, was a VA nurse who was protesting federal officers' actions in Minneapolis. He had stepped in to protect a woman who was a fellow protester as well. The woman was pushed by federal agents and then pepper spray was deployed. Pretti tried to protect her and was shot in the ensuing confrontation. Videos showed Border Patrol agents tackling him to the ground and one person removed a gun from him. After this an agent opened fire, shooting him multiple times. Pretti's last words were reportedly ‘Are you okay,’ directed at the woman he died trying to protect.