TEL AVIV, Israel (RTW News) — The narrative surrounding the war in the Gaza Strip is experiencing a transformation in Israeli news media.
For much of the last two years, Israeli television has concentrated primarily on local suffering, emphasizing Israeli heroism and the plight of hostages while largely ignoring the crisis unfolding in Gaza.
This focus is waning as, in recent months, some Israeli outlets have started to air disturbing images of malnourished children and producing in-depth stories about the harsh realities faced by Palestinians.
This shift in coverage emerges amidst increased global outrage regarding the war and reflects internal conflict on the appropriateness of continuing military action, despite protests and changing media narratives having minimal impact on policy decisions.
“This retrospective consideration about our actions in Gaza is indicative of both empathy and strategic reflection,” said Eran Amsalem, a communications professor at Hebrew University.
Despite the growing call for change, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has largely sidelined the push to end the conflict which centers on returning hostages. Following Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, advocacy for Palestinian rights has gained little momentum.
The Shock of October 7
The war's onset featured shocking scenes of Hamas militants breaching borders and parading hostages through Gaza, leading to widespread loss, with approximately 1,200 casualties primarily among civilians. This unprecedented attack, often likened to Israel's own version of 9/11, initially unified the Israeli public before international attention turned towards Gaza's plight.
Typically, Israeli media downplayed the suffering in Gaza, presenting primarily the narrative of military achievement without acknowledging the humanitarian crises, according to prominent news anchor Raviv Drucker.
Moreover, international journalists have been largely barred from Gaza since the start of the conflict, leading to accusations that this war constitutes the deadliest for reporters in recent history.
Despite this lack of independent oversight, the narrative is slowly shifting with longer pieces about the humanitarian crisis appearing more frequently on major platforms, revealing stories of starvation and hardships faced by Palestinians.
Highlighting Suffering in Gaza: A Risky Position
News personalities who have dared to spotlight Gaza’s humanitarian catastrophe have often faced significant backlash. Popular anchor Yonit Levi spoke out against international media coverage of famine and was labeled a ‘Hamas spokesperson’ by critics.
As the offensive has reportedly led to over 64,000 Palestinian deaths according to the Gaza Health Ministry, Israeli commentators remain largely defensive or dismissive of these figures.
Signs of Change
In recent weeks, some mainstream Israeli media have started to show signs of acknowledging Palestinian suffering, though these reports often remain isolated amidst a landscape heavily geared towards domestic issues.
Journalists from outlets like Haaretz have continued to investigate and report on the situation in Gaza critically, but as a minority perspective in the current climate.
“The tragedy that occurred on October 7 broke the previous norms, making it politically perilous to consider the pain of Palestinians in our media landscape,” said journalist Nir Hasson.
Nonetheless, he believes the Israeli public remains open to these discussions, contrary to perceptions of media self-censorship.
