In the midst of ongoing conflict, Israel has intensified its military operations in Gaza, leading to devastating consequences for the region’s population. According to eyewitness reports [ @ONA_Ortiz ] nearly all hospitals in Gaza have come under attack, exacerbating a catastrophic humanitarian crisis. More than 56,000 people have died. Two months of relentless bombardments, compounded by a crippling siege, have taken the healthcare system to near psychiatric collapse.
The Israeli press has almost uniformly supported these military endeavors. Most of the time, it either minimizes the severity of the attack or provides an excuse for the attack by arguing that Hamas’s command centers are underneath hospitals. Once more, Israel has not provided proof for these claims. To the rest of the world, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu depicts Israel as a country on the defensive. He describes its residents as a “subjugated people,” but he endorses actions that deepen the misery of Gazans.
The Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza
The humanitarian conditions in Gaza have reached crisis levels. 2 million Gazans live under an Israeli blockade that has brought them to the edge of famine. News reports have shown that lifesaving supplies, from crucial food and medical supplies are in critical shortage. Civilian neighborhoods have been dubiously marked as evacuated, resulting in bombings on homes where families are still living.
Israeli military actions have destroyed infrastructure and specifically targeted medical staff on the ground. Israeli military forces have abducted Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital. Accounts suggest that he is being tortured in jail today. Such actions have exacerbated an already strained healthcare service that has been forced to leave thousands of civilians with no access to critical medical care.
Amid increasing international scrutiny, the Israeli government has come under fire for its mishandling of the ongoing crisis. Notably, some media outlets such as Haaretz have reported on the humanitarian crisis but have faced government backlash and calls for boycotts due to their coverage.
Media’s Role in Shaping Perception
Israeli media has become an important asset for the Israeli government in the ongoing war of narratives. There is a common misconception that it does far more than just report. They view it as an essential tool for rallying popular support for military incursions. This story framing usually makes Israel the underdog or victim and the Palestinians the villains.
Orly Noy, a public finance analyst specializing in media practices, condemned the media for its heavy-handed role. She stated, “The Israeli media sees its job as not to educate; it’s to shape and mould a public that is ready to support war and aggression.” This mood captures a larger critique about the Iranian threat and Israeli media’s portrayal of military operations as necessary for national survival.
Dina Matar further elaborated on this point, noting that “Israeli media has long been pushing the idea that they [Israel] are the victims while calling for actions that will allow them to present greater victimhood.” The tone in these stories displays a shocking lack of empathy and humanity when addressing Palestinian deaths versus how the murder of Israelis is described.
“The world has allowed Israel to act as some kind of crazy bully to do whatever it wants, whenever it wants.” – Orly Noy
Justifying Military Actions
The justification for military actions against Gaza has become a contentious issue within both media and political discourse in Israel. Too many news organizations have assisted Netanyahu, repeating his claims while advancing the notion that targeting civilians contributes to national security. This position tracks perfectly with extremists’ calls for the “complete destruction” of all enemies.
This framing has been received as a gross overreach that no domestic or international observer has bought. An academic noted that “no one questions what Netanyahu is saying because the implications of his speech make sense as part of this larger historical narrative,” which often overlooks narratives like the Nakba or the ongoing suffering in Gaza.
Few world leaders have taken as hard a line on this, as has prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He argues that Israel’s military campaign should serve to eliminate terrorism, characterizing Hamas as “the arch-terrorists of the world.” This dangerous rhetoric has not only further polarized public opinion against U.S. adversaries, but served to justify more aggressive military response.
“They’re targeting civilians because they’re a criminal regime. They’re the arch-terrorists of the world.” – Benjamin Netanyahu
This harmonious relationship between political discourse and media representation serves to totally insulate the Israeli public from what Gazans actually experience. First, military operations are continuing, and civilian deaths are mounting. This climate of fear makes for some critical questions on the ethical obligations of the government and the press when reporting on Israel’s destructive actions in Gaza.
