How is Israeli media is covering the Gaza conflict?

Hamas’s October 7 attack on Israel was described as the most traumatic event in Israeli history by some commentators.

Since the attack, Israeli media adopted a highly patriotic stance.

Israeli journalists are reported to believe their role is to assist in "winning the war" against Hamas, leading to a coverage largely omitting Palestinian suffering.

The narrative focuses on unity with slogans like "united we will win" evident in TV news and talk shows.

There has been heavy criticism of politicians, but the military, its strategies, generals, and soldiers are largely not critically interrogated.

Media coverage tends to ignore or minimize the suffering of Gazan civilians significantly, according to critical journalists and media watchdogs.

Critics claim that this coverage has resulted in Israeli public isolation from global perceptions.

International media present a broader view, including the Palestinian perspective and suffering from Israeli offensives.

There is evidence of both explicit and implicit censorship, including restrictions on reporting sensitive military information and issues that may lead to public demoralization.

Detailed censorship directives from the Israeli military to the media were revealed by The Intercept. It outlined eight forbidden reporting topics without prior approval.

Israeli journalists are accused of self-censoring, knowing certain stories will not be approved by the censor.

Some Israeli journalists and outlets like 'Haaretz' are pushing for more coverage of Palestinian civilians and critiquing domestic media.

Israeli authorities have barred journalists from entering Gaza except on army-escorted trips, affecting the scope and type of coverage.

Israeli journalists are not reporting from Palestinian territories due to threats and the dangerous environment created by Hamas.

Foreign media outlets operating in Israel have to comply with the IDF censor to maintain their permits, and there are reports of self-censorship and sections of reporting being censored or completely forbidden.

Opinion polls suggest Palestinian support for Hamas has surged since the group’s attack, yet this is not broadly covered in Israeli media.

Israeli politicians are self-serving and leaking for personal electoral gain, affecting the media (Srugim).

Calls for journalistic responsibility within Israeli media to curb leaks were discussed in some Israeli publications.