Žurnalistikos tyrimai / Journalism Research ISSN 2029-1132 eISSN 2424-6042
2023, 17, pp. 26–51 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15388/ZT/JR.2023.2

The Role of Video Content in The New York Times and The Guardian’s Coverage of the Israeli War on Gaza

Asem Khaleel Kreishan
PhD Candidate
Faculty of Mass Communication
Department of Journalism
Cairo University
Kreishan.asem2009@hotmail.com
https://ror.org/03q21mh05

Abstract: The Israel-Hamas conflict has received widespread coverage from global media sources. The coverage has been extensive, including both conventional news channels and social media platforms, and includes a vast range of opinions and tales. Social media has substantially impacted the dissemination of knowledge, as seen by platforms such as TikTok, which have accumulated billions of views on material relating to this topic. The research revealed a significant discrepancy in the number of postings supporting Palestine compared to those supporting Israel. The battle has resulted in the dissemination of deceptive information and misinformation. Hamas has been prohibited from the majority of social media networks; however, its propaganda continues to flow on channels like Telegram. Local content artists in Gaza recorded their experiences and garnered substantial followings. The study investigates the utilization of video material by newspapers, with a specific emphasis on four key aspects: the characteristics of the content, the intended audience, video editing techniques, and the influence of this content on worldwide public perception. Video coverage in the New York Times strives to provide a fair and equitable portrayal of the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives, including conflicts and fatalities from all sides. The newspaper’s objective is to provide extensive coverage that emphasizes the plight of both parties, however, it has faced criticism for not sufficiently illuminating the agony endured by the Palestinians.

Keywords: Online Journalism, Video Content, New York Times, Guardian’s, Israeli War on Gaza.

Vaizdo įrašų turinio vaidmuo atspindint „The New York Times“ ir „The Guardian“ Izraelio karą Gazoje

Santrauka. Izraelio ir „Hamas“ konfliktas sulaukė didelio pasaulinės žiniasklaidos informacijos. Aprėptis buvo plati, įskaitant įprastus naujienų kanalus ir socialinės žiniasklaidos platformas, daugybę nuomonių ir pranešimų. Didelės įtakos padarė žnaujienų sklaidai padarė socialinė žiniasklaida, kaip antai „TikTok“platforma ar panašios, sukaupusios milijardus turinio, susijusio su šia tema, peržiūrų. Tyrimas atskleidė didelę Palestiną remiančių pranešimų neatitiktį palyginus su Izraelį remiančių pranešimų skaičiumi. Kova lėmė apgaulingos informacijos ir dezinformacijos sklaidą. „Hamas“ buvo uždrausta dalyvauti daugumoje socialinės žiniasklaidos tinklų; tačiau jos propaganda ir toliau sklinda tokiais kanalais kaip „Telegram“. Vietiniai turinio kūrėjai Gazoje, fiksavę savo patirtį, sulaukė daugybės sekėjų. Autorius tiria vaizdo turinio panaudojimą dienraščiuose, ypatingą dėmesį skiriant keturiems pagrindiniams veiksniams: turinio ypatybėms, numatomai auditorijai, vaizdo redagavimo technikoms ir šio turinio įtakai pasaulio visuomenės suvokimui. „New York Times“ vaizdo įrašuose stengiamasi teisingai ir adekvačiai pavaizduoti Izraelio ir Palestinos aplinkybes, įskaitant konfliktus ir žuvusius iš visų pusių. Laikraščio tikslas – plačiai atspindėti abiejų pusių padėtį, tačiau jis sulaukė kritikos, jog nepakankamai pranešantis apie palestiniečių patiriamą agoniją. Autorius pateikia rekomendacijų, jog reikalinga nuosekli, profesionali įvykių stebėsena, įskaitant žurnalistinius tyrimus, žurnalistų (reporterių) mokymą, atrenkant labiausiai tinkamus šiai problematikai nagrinėti.

Pagrindiniai žodžiai: Internetinė žurnalistika, vaizdo įrašų turinys, „New York Times“,„Guardian‘“, Izraelio karas Gazoje.

Received: 17/08/2024. Accepted: 01/10/2024
Copyright © 2023 Asem Khaleel Kreishan. Published by Vilnius University Press. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence (CC BY), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Introduction

Visual material has emerged as a potent instrument for influencing public opinion and Framing media narratives in the era of digital media (Imam & Tijjani, 2024). Amid the intensification of worldwide wars, the media is pivotal in disseminating these occurrences to a global audience (Durgeç & Demirel, 2023). Media coverage of the Israeli attack on Gaza serves as a significant case study in exploring how visual imagery may effectively convey messages and highlight some aspects of the conflict (Wells et al., 2024).

In online journalism apps, real-time daily updates allow users to promptly and swiftly obtain information on current events (Karniel & Lavie-Dinur, 2024). The convenient availability of material leads to its quick consumption by users, but it also results in the proliferation of excessive information without proper verification by content producers (Abrosimov & Akhmedov, 2024). Conversely, an excess of information in circulation leads to the quick consumption and subsequent forgetting of news material by consumers (Spitka, 2023). In a fast-paced environment where speed takes precedence over all else, the essential practices of news preparation, such as providing the context of the event in the news story, conducting thorough research, and seeking input from various news sources, are increasingly neglected. Since there is a need for concentration and time investment in news production, the aforementioned journalistic methods are becoming less common in the current digital media landscape. Today, with the emphasis on speed in both the creation and consumption of news, it is more reasonable to question the relevance of slow journalism (Bosqui et al., 2024; Tanous, 2022; Ross, 2021).

The Israeli military campaign in Gaza is a highly intricate and delicate struggle characterized by the complicated interplay of political, religious, and historical aspects that contribute to the conflict (Boukari et al., 2024). With every escalation, Gaza garners significant worldwide media coverage as the media tries to portray the intricacies of the battle and its impact on civilians while documenting the devastation and suffering endured by the Palestinian population. Visual material is crucial in effectively and powerfully depicting the realities of conflict in this environment (Jones et al., 2024; Hassan & Mustafa, 2024; Hlihor, 2024).

The New York Times and The Guardian are globally renowned publications that substantially influence worldwide public sentiment. Each entity has its own methodology for reporting on events, which is determined by its editorial guidelines and media objectives (Malik, 2024). The New York Times employs a balanced approach in its war coverage, using visual media like images, films, and infographics to depict the battle’s devastation, brutality, and human aspects. This equilibrium helps provide a thorough depiction to followers of the events occurring in Gaza. It embodies an editorial perspective that aims to attain a kind of impartiality and objectivity in reporting (Sherwood, 2023). In contrast, the Guardian takes a distinct approach by emphasizing the human element and the spirit of resistance in its reporting on the conflict. The journal uses visual media not just to chronicle the consequences of the conflict but also to emphasize the unwavering determination and resilience of the Palestinian people (Alsaafin & Osgood, 2024). The publication achieves this objective by disseminating photographs and films that emphasize rallies and protests and sharing testimonials from those who have survived the conflict. This editorial style is intended to actively promote human rights and emphasize the importance of justice in the topics it addresses (Doucet, 2024). The visual material used in the coverage of these two publications encompasses a diverse array of media, spanning from images and brief films to interactive graphics. These media serve as more than simply instruments for illustration; they are crucial in influencing the recipient’s comprehension of events (Siddiqui & Motamedi, 2024). They possess the capability to transmit nuanced information that words alone may not adequately explain. Photos may visually depict the magnitude of the destruction inflicted by Israeli assaults (Folkenflik, 2024). At the same time, recordings can provide viewers with a firsthand understanding of the events, such as the distressing experiences endured by people or their ability to persevere in the face of difficulties (McGreal, 2024). Furthermore, graphics are used to streamline intricate information, such as advancements in events or data on human casualties, and convey them in a manner that is readily understandable and allows the receiver to grasp their significance (Ghanem, 2024). The wide range of visual material used in digital journalism nowadays demonstrates the advanced state of its growth. Journalists now use many digital technologies in addition to written texts to provide a whole tale to the audience (Heyman, 2024). The significance of visual material in the New York Times and the Guardian’s coverage of the Israeli attack on Gaza is a notable example of how visual media shapes media narratives and impacts public perception. Both newspapers use this material in distinct manners that align with their own visions and editorial objectives, providing an opportunity for a more comprehensive examination of the influence of both media outlets on the public’s comprehension of world events and their empathy towards humanitarian matters (Whyte, 2024; Pérez Castro, 2024; Hall, 2024).

Literature Review

The Israeli-Palestinian War

The Israel-Palestine dispute over Jerusalem is a very intricate and disputatious matter with profound historical, theological, and political origins. The dispute centers on the conflicting assertions and ambitions of Israelis and Palestinians on the status and governance of Jerusalem, a city that has immense importance for several religious communities (Beinin & Hajjar, 2014). The British Government issued a mandate known as the Balfour Declaration in November 1917. This mandate supported the establishment of a national home for Jews in Palestine while ensuring that the civil and religious rights of the non-Jewish communities in Palestine would not be harmed.

According to Sinkaya analysis in 2016, the Palestine question is a significant determinant of Middle East politics and may be understood in three ways. Firstly, the Arab-Israeli conflict revolves around the question of whether Israel’s legitimacy and sovereignty are acknowledged by the Arab countries. The Arab nations do not accept Israel’s legitimacy because they believe that the territory now occupied by Israel rightfully belongs to them. Furthermore, the Palestine-Israeli conflict originated from Israel’s seizure and occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, territories that were formerly under Palestinian control. This action disrupted the ongoing peace negotiations between Palestine and Israel. Furthermore, the theological dispute arises from the fact that Jerusalem is considered one of the most sacred cities in Islam. However, Israel gained control of Jerusalem following the 1967 war and recognised it as their capital in 1980, adding a religious aspect to the Palestinian issue.

According to Beinin and Hajjar (2014), the Arabs have a historical claim to Jerusalem since they have been the primary inhabitants of Palestine for more than a century. Cattan, a Palestinian, said that the historical and cultural bond between Arabs and Palestine cannot be changed by any kind of propaganda. The Arabs have significantly contributed to the development of the country, and although Jews have also made progress in their own areas, the notion that development gives entitlement might potentially be used to justify any act of violence by a technologically sophisticated culture against a less advanced population (Cattan, 2022). While it is important to provide a homeland for the Jewish people, it should not be done in a way that unfairly burdens those who were not accountable for the atrocities of the Nazis. Granting Jewish refugees, the right to reside in Palestine would be an act of injustice against the Arab population residing in the region, as well as a breach of the 1946 General Assembly Resolution pertaining to the relocation of displaced individuals

The Conflict Over Jerusalem

The thirty-year struggle between Egypt and Israel was ultimately settled in 1979 by the signing of the Camp David Accords, after many cease-fires and peace discussions. The Camp David Accords enhanced the ties between Israel and its neighbouring countries. However, the issue of Palestinian self-determination and self-governance remained unsolved (Council on Foreign ties (CFR), 2023). The 1993 Oslo I Accords functioned as a diplomatic instrument, creating a structure for Palestinian self-rule in the West Bank and Gaza following the initial uprising in 1987, while also facilitating mutual acknowledgement between the newly formed Palestinian Authority (PA) and the Israeli government. The 1995 Oslo II Accords expanded upon the original Oslo Accords and included stipulations that mandated Israel’s withdrawal from six cities and 450 communities in the West Bank (CFR, 2023). The second Intifada, which began in 2000 and lasted until 2005, was instigated by the Palestinians as a response to Israeli occupation of the West Bank, the stalemate in peace negotiations, and the outrage caused by former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s visit to the al-Aqsa mosque, the third most sacred place in Islam. In defiance of the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court, the Israeli government authorised the building of a wall around the West Bank in 2002 as a form of revenge (Alsaafin, 2024).

Hamas, one of the primary Palestinian political entities, was established in 1987 as a result of the first intifada and separated from Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood. The US government officially designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organisation in 1997 (CFR, 2023). Nevertheless, the establishment of a unity government in 2014 between Fatah, the official party of the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, a splinter group, thwarted the efforts of the US and other Western countries to revive the West Bank peace negotiations in 2013. In the summer of 2014, Hamas initiated the firing of about 3,000 rockets directed towards Israel, which led Israel to respond with a substantial military operation in Gaza (Yourish & Keller 2014). In August 2014, Egypt facilitated a cease-fire after the deaths of 2,251 Palestinians and 73 Israelis (Rudrappa, 2024). Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the geographical restrictions outlined in the Oslo Accords no longer have jurisdiction over the Palestinians during the 2015 period of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Between March and May 2018, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip engaged in protests along the Israel-Gaza border. These protests coincided with the 70th anniversary of the Nakba, which refers to the Palestinian exodus that occurred before to the establishment of Israel in 1948 (CFR, 2023). Despite the peaceful nature of the majority of demonstrators, violence erupted, resulting in significant humanitarian damage. According to the United Nations, more than 6,000 protesters were injured by live fire and 183 lost their lives. The source of this information is the United Nations Human Rights Council in the year 2018.

Donald Trump, the previous President of the United States, prioritised the Israeli-Palestinian Accord as a significant aspect of his worldwide foreign policy agenda during his presidency from 2017 to 2020. In 2018, the Trump administration significantly reduced funding to the UN Relief and Works Agency, an organisation that helped Palestinian refugees (Moses, 2024). The relocation of the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in December 2017, which was supported by Israel but opposed by Palestinians and several Western nations, was the culmination of a significant shift in policy. The Palestinians assert that East Jerusalem will serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state, whilst Israel maintains that a “complete and unified Jerusalem” is its capital (CFR, 2023). In January 2020, Palestinians rejected the Trump administration’s “Peace to Prosperity” plan because to its endorsement of Israeli annexation of West Bank settlements and control over an “undivided” Jerusalem (CFR, 2023).

War frame

Since that time, the two governments have been ensnared in a cycle of violence, leading to civilian fatalities, the damage of residences, and the displacement of Palestinians (Kiely, 2017). According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the overall deaths from the two intifadas and the Gaza conflicts between 2008 and 2020 amounted to 5,953 Palestinians and 262 Israelis (UNOCHA, 2021). Of this total, 34.5% were Palestinians, while 21% included Israeli women and children. In conjunction with the violence, the Israeli government has implemented a Jewish settlement initiative and a system of roadways exclusively for Jewish use (Harms & Ferry, 2017). This has led to the relocation of 5.7 million Palestinian refugees (UNRWA, 2021). The United Nations asserts that Israel’s building of settlements in the Palestinian areas occupied since 1967 constitutes a violation of international law . Figure 1 below illustrates the expansion of Israeli territory.

Fig. 1. Map of Israel and State of Palestine. Source: (Rizova & Panayotova, 2021).

Sensational images

It is noteworthy that Al Jazeera often uses spectacular imagery, with 72 instances in the sample. These are startling and provocative pictures that may readily capture attention. Numerous prominent lead photos depict scenes of dread, often illustrating a wounded individual, bombed structures, corpses in a mortuary, mass funerals or assaulted locales.

Fig. 2. Examples of sensational images used on Al Jazeera. Source: (Al Jazeera, 2021).

CNN employs spectacular imagery, primarily depicting devastation and destruction, characterised by fire and smoke, with little representation of individuals.

Fig. 3. Examples of sensational images used on CNN. Source: (CNN, 2021).

A limited quantity of the photographs in the BBC’s selection may be classified as spectacular pictures a lot of images . Most depict scenes of bombardment, structures ablaze or enveloped in black smoke, teetering on the brink of collapse. A representation of charred artefacts serves as an illustration of the damage inflicted upon the Palestinians impacted by the war.

Fig. 4. Examples of sensational images on BBC. Source: (BBC, 2021).

Fig. 5. Examples of sensational images Israeli forces . Source: (OCHA, 2020).

Recent Developments

In spite of the efforts made by the international community to promote the stability and peace between Israel and Palestine Konrad (2021) reported that in October 2021, an Israeli court issued a ruling stating that numerous Palestinian residents in the East Jerusalem surrounding area of Sheikh Jarrah must be evicted by May 2021, and their land transferred to Jewish households. Following a judicial decision for evictions, riots erupted in May, during which Israeli police clashed with the demonstrators. On May 7th, there was a confrontation between protestors, Israeli settlers, and police at the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. This incident occurred after many weeks of frequent protests and increasing tensions during the holy month of Ramadan. Israeli law enforcement used non-lethal weapons like as shock grenades, rubber bullets, and water cannons at demonstrators, resulting in the injury of several Palestinians (Chaney, 2022).

After the conflict in the Old City and the festivities of Jerusalem Day, tensions in East Jerusalem increased. On May 10, 2021, after prolonged unrest in Jerusalem and the deployment of deadly and non-deadly force by Israeli police, Hamas, the terrorist organisation governing Gaza, together with other Palestinian militant organisations, launched many rockets into Israel (El Bagoury, 2024). Israel and Hamas achieved a cease-fire on May 21, 2021, after a series of fatalities and an increase in hostilities. The cease-fire was facilitated by Egypt, and both parties claimed victory with no reported breaches. According to the International Crisis Group (2021), the 11-day battle in May 2021 resulted in the deaths of almost 250 Palestinians, nearly 2000 Jews, and at least 13 Israelis. This escalated the war between Israeli and Palestinian troops. In 2021, Al Jazeera reported that the Gaza Strip, which was under embargo, had a devastating 11-day military campaign. This attack marked the fourth major offensive against Palestinian territory in a span of 14 years.

As reported by the United Nations, the assault resulted in over 2,200 people being wounded and a minimum of 261 fatalities, including 67 children. The level of violence has escalated significantly due to the actions of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist organisation governing Gaza, who initiated rocket attacks on Israel, prompting Israel to retaliate with airstrikes. As reported by the health ministry in Gaza, the Israeli aircraft and artillery attack caused 830 Palestinians to sustain injuries and led in the deaths of 119 individuals, including 31 children. During the same period, Hamas launched rocket attacks that caused the deaths of 9 Israelis, including one child, and injured over 400 others. On May 13, Hamas fired more over 2,000 rockets and mortars against Israel, while Israel carried out several air and artillery attacks. Tel Aviv’s assessment attributes responsibility to Hamas for the reprisal and asserts that the attack was a justified reaction to rockets and other ordnance launched from the region against Israelis. The source of this information is Al Jazeera, and the year of publication is 2022.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict dates back to the creation of Israel in 1948 and has continued to escalate. Since then, Israel and Palestine have been fighting over the territories. Conflicts over Gaza and the West Bank have occurred repeatedly (Rasheed et al., 2024). Despite numerous attempts at peace processes, they have failed to bring lasting peace between the two states. The occasional conflict has caused loss of life and destruction of material. The current war on Gaza is, therefore, a new wave of the prevailing Israeli-Palestinian conflict (Wegner, 2024). This conflict has caused a severe humanitarian disaster and massive human and material destruction. Although the international community was expected to protect civilians from this disaster, it has made little effort to avoid the unrest, except to call on the parties to fragile ceasefire agreements. Ceasefire agreements have failed to bring about a tangible change in the lives of civilians in Gaza. Therefore, the ongoing oppression of civilians and the severe destruction of material in Gaza will not be resolved unless there is an immediate and robust international response (Qobulsyah et al., 2023; Rosenfeld, 2024; Gdaem, 2023).

Since the beginning of the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip, which was sparked by the attack on Israeli settlements and military bases inside the besieged area, reactions have spread widely, especially from the United States and some European countries that support Israel (Yusuf et al., 2024). However, these reactions have witnessed transformations as Israel escalated its aggression on the Strip, which led to unprecedented human losses and destruction among the Palestinians (Shellah, 2023; Behnam, 2024).

Israeli attacks on Palestinians continue, forming a prominent element in the context of war crimes and serious violations that the Israeli army continues to commit (Puolesta, 2023). During the previous years – and despite the existence of a truce – the Israeli army used a policy that ranged between economic strangulation, closing crossings, pressures, and military campaigns, in addition to attempts to suggest that the Palestinian issue is only a political issue and not an issue of occupation (Gopal, 2023). The war on Gaza, with its open and unprecedented aggression, has returned the Palestinian issue to the regional and international arenas. With Israel’s insistence on trying to separate regional stability from the Palestinian issue and isolate Palestine from other Arab countries, this war has returned the issue to its correct political and emotional position among the peoples of the region. Mass demonstrations and protests in physical and digital spaces and economic boycotts have become prominent expressions of this solidarity—the renewed. The “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation is considered one of the most critical issues that the global media addressed with significant momentum, mainly since that operation was directed at Israel, which led to the conflict igniting significantly in the region after Israel suffered heavy losses. It was described as the most significant loss for Israel since the October 1973 War (Quandt, 2014; Subrahmanyam, 2024; Tal, 2016).

It revealed blatant duplicity in Western governments’ and prominent human rights organizations’ applying human rights standards with global reputations (CLAIR, 2024). Although these governments and organizations are quick to adopt extremely harsh human rights positions and lead negative propaganda campaigns against many Arab countries under the pretext of human rights violations, their declared positions on recent Israeli practices that include apparent war crimes and violations, even reaching the level of genocide against the Palestinian people, were cowardly positions, and even supportive and justifying of Israeli crimes. Some European countries have gone beyond justifying and supporting Israeli crimes to attacking the right of citizens of these countries and those residing on their land legally to express their opinion and peaceful assembly (Marton, 2011; Bijan & Soroush, 2024; Safdar, 2024).

Theoretical Framework

This article will analyse the Israel-Palestine dispute over Jerusalem in the 21st century, considering various peace discussions, negotiations, and foreign interventions. The lens of structural realism will be used to get a clear picture of the situation. Structural realism posits that the international system lacks a central authority and is characterised by anarchy. Consequently, nations are deemed independent and must depend on their own skills to safeguard their existence and security. Furthermore, proponents of structural realism contend that nations are mainly preoccupied with achieving relative advantages rather than absolute advantages when engaging with other states. States prioritise the objective of ensuring that their advantages surpass those of their competitors or potential opponents. This viewpoint may result in cynicism and prudence in collaborative endeavours, as nations may be concerned about diminishing their relative influence or being exploited by outsiders (James, 1995).

The Jerusalem struggle has persistently been characterised by a state of warfare, driven by a desire for power, domination, autonomy, and authority over the city. Rather than fostering collaboration, the conflict has been marked by intense rivalry and competitiveness. The persistent conflict and refusal to acknowledge defeat in the area elucidate its ongoing power struggle. The primary objective of the PLO was to emancipate Palestine from Israeli control and create a formally recognised nation-state (Mohamad, 1997). Structural realism highlights the anarchic nature of the international system, where there is no governing body to enforce laws or settle disputes. Consequently, governments are compelled to prioritise their own self-interests in order to ensure their survival. The Israel-Palestine conflict clearly demonstrates this phenomenon, as both Israel and the Palestinians have implemented methods that align with their respective perceived self-interests. Israel has prioritised its security via military operations and territorial control, whilst the Palestinians have pursued global recognition, statehood, and the cessation of occupation. When it comes to the security and survival of nations, discussions and diplomatic attempts typically include other parties, such as the United nations and regional countries, who attempt to affect the balance of authority between Israel and Palestine. The allocation of authority and the concerns of external parties might influence the peace negotiations and the likelihood of reaching a deal.

The realist conceptual framework of “states” posits that they are rational agents that carefully assess costs and alternatives in order to promote their national goals. Despite all peaceful measures and endeavours, Israel’s primary objective is to maintain Jerusalem as its capital, whilst the Palestinians want to have it as their future capital. Therefore, power is the only method of survival for both sides, and in order to possess power, they want military capacity and absolute security.

Result and Discussion

The analysis reveals that the coverage by the NYT and GUARDIAN of the May 2024 attack on Gaza involved the merging of multiple subjects, demonstrating a somewhat intricate approach to the Israeli aggression on Gaza in May 2024 that primarily favoured Israel’s justifications and interests while disregarding the Palestinian narrative and rights. In addition, the coverage provided by the two prominent media outlets seemed to be sensitive to the concerns of Palestinians, emphasizing the consequences of Israel’s attacks and destruction. However, criticism of Israel’s attacks was generally expressed in a cautious and diluted manner, failing to adequately present the situation within the framework of Israel’s military occupation, colonization, and blockade. Conversely, the Palestinian armed resistance was mainly established as a comparable power that inflicted comparable amounts of devastation, apprehension, and fatalities upon Israelis. Israel’s bombings and raids were portrayed as retaliatory measures against Palestinian groups’ rocket launches, so endorsing Israel’s rationale for targeting Gaza. In the following discussion, I will analyse the fundamental themes that form the basis of the approach to the Israeli onslaught on Gaza. Additionally, I will examine how these themes are expressed via different language structures and aspects.

1. Israel’s Conflict with Hamas

Both the New York Times (NYT) and the British Broadcasting Corporation Guardian consistently portray the events as a battle between Israel and Hamas, labelling Hamas as an ‘Islamist terrorist organization.’ This equality was shown via the mutual use of weaponry by both parties to target each other and in reporting the war’s impact on both sides. This implies that the casualties on both sides received comparable media coverage and were portrayed with similar emotional intensity. The extensive damage and loss inflicted by Israel during its aggressive actions in Gaza, resulting in a significant number of Palestinian fatalities and injuries, were contrasted with the Palestinian resistance’s rocket attacks on Israeli-held regions and the relatively lower number of Israeli casualties. This serves to diminish Israel’s culpability for the indiscriminate devastation and chaos it imposed upon the Palestinian population in Gaza while portraying the casualties and damage on both sides as regrettable and unavoidable consequences of warfare. This reporting pattern exempts Israel from moral examination and responsibility for the far larger scale of devastation and loss of life it caused among innocent Palestinians.

2. Israeli–Palestinian Peace Talk in 2007 and 2008

Ehud Olmert, the Israeli prime minister, and Mahmoud Abbas, the president of Palestine, have a total of 36 meetings, including lower-level interactions, from December 2006 to mid-September 2008. Olmert praised the Arab League’s 2007 confirmation of the Arab Peace Initiative and proposed a plan for peace negotiations and the establishment of a Palestinian state (Ezugwu, 2023). Olmert’s primary proposition was the establishment of a permanent border, which included Israeli retreat from the bulk of the West Bank and the incorporation of at least 6.3 percent of Palestinian land in return for 5.8 percent of Israeli land. In order to comply with this requirement, Palestinians were obligated to acquire alternative property in the Negev region, which is in close proximity to the Gaza Strip. Additionally, they were expected to establish a physical link under Israeli jurisdiction that would enable unlimited passage between Gaza and the West Bank (Thrall, 2017). According to the discussions, about 60 percent of settlers would choose to remain under Abbas’s offer. Both Olmert and Abbas agreed that reciprocal relationships were necessary, rather than complete isolation. Through their efforts in many sectors like as water, security, internet, banking, and tourism, both leaders acknowledged the need of establishing a shared economic environment. Consequently, they reached a consensus that Jewish areas in Jerusalem should remain under Israeli sovereignty, while Arab neighbourhoods should be placed under Palestinian administration. The Palestinians sought clarity over the territorial land exchange due to significant discrepancies between Israeli and Palestinian evaluations of the West Bank, amounting to over two hundred square kilometres (Brown, 2024). Nevertheless, without the necessary information being shared, and with concerns that Olmert’s proposed annexation of 6.3 to 6.8 percent would really be as high as 8.5 percent, which is four times larger than the Palestinians’ limit of 1.9 percent for land swaps, the discussion could not proceed due to both sides accusing each other of not reciprocating (Lazarus, 2015).

3. News Sources: A Process of Framing

Shaping readers’ perspectives and subjectivities involves selectively including and excluding certain voices, influencing their perception of events. This is particularly significant in conflicts where public opinion and garnering support play a crucial role alongside the actual occurrences on the ground. Journalists use multiple perspectives and news sources to bolster the credibility of their reports and sometimes to provide a compelling, vivid television coverage of ongoing events. In his work, Bell (1991) emphasizes that a quotation enhances a tale by including the distinct language and expression of the quoted individual. The New York Times (NYT) and British Broadcasting Corporation (GUARDIAN) heavily relied on Israeli sources, notably army spokespersons, to gather information and provide explanations of the events and reasons for Israeli military activities. This approach highlighted Israeli perspectives and stances. Simultaneously, they neglected to offset Israeli viewpoints with other alternative narratives that contextualize the violence as a result of Israeli military occupation and the rights of Palestinians. These alternative accounts include Palestinians expressing their sorrow or astonishment, as well as health authorities providing reports on the casualties and injuries.

Conclusion

The findings of this study about the impact of video material in the New York Times and Guardian’s reporting on the Israeli assault on Gaza highlight the significant role that videos play in altering the media’s portrayal of conflicts and disputes. Videos serve not only to provide information, but also to influence the audience’s perspectives and emotions about the shown events. This study has shown that the manner in which films are produced and presented is crucial in shaping the message that is sent to the viewer. The New York Times uses films to give a purportedly impartial portrayal of the conflict by including clips from both the Israeli and Palestinian perspectives. This strategy aims to provide extensive coverage, but it may sometimes give the perception of an uneven equilibrium, thus diminishing the emphasis on the Palestinians’ suffering because to the evident power disparity between the two parties. In contrast, The Guardian adopts a distinct perspective in its coverage of the conflict, stressing the humanitarian dimension and emphasising the plight of people in Gaza. The films shown by the Guardian serve to strengthen the notion of the Palestinians’ unjust treatment within the siege and bombing they endure. This engenders heightened empathy for the Palestinians and sheds light on the humanitarian crisis that has ensued from the conflict. Video material is an exceptionally powerful instrument for communicating truth in a manner that directly influences viewer perceptions. The editing techniques and camera angles used in these films have a significant role in guiding the media message and might potentially shape the audience’s engagement with the events. Videos serve not just as a method of recording events, but also as a tool for controlling and shaping public sentiment.

Limitations of the study

This study is subject to constraints, primarily due to its small sample size, which restricts the ability to apply the results to a larger population. As an exploratory study, the results provide valuable insights for future research, which may need a bigger sample size and a more complete survey questionnaire in terms of content and dissemination. In addition, future studies should also investigate the role of video content in covering the Israeli War on Gaza.

Recommendations

The media sector is seeing tremendous growth, and Arab media and press organisations need to enhance their efficacy in reporting on the Israeli war in Gaza. This includes analysing Western media material related to the conflict, by uncovering perspectives, conducting journalistic investigations, and presenting opinion pieces and news reports. In order to attain high-quality production, it is imperative that they formulate a strategy plan to establish an integrated newsroom. Enhance efficiency and expedite task completion by closely monitoring and tracking progress. Alleviate the burden on journalists and reporters, while ensuring their ongoing training and fostering the growth of those well-suited for these roles. This work is classified as pioneering research in its area. Intended for those who control media institutions, manage newsrooms, or make decisions about media organisations. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that scholars in this subject do more extensive investigations on this specific area of study, considering the involvement of Western political experts and specialists. Facilitate the development of Arab reporters and journalists by offering courses, training in technical and technology skills, and ongoing learning opportunities to enhance their involvement in the area of media work.

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