The ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict has been a subject of international concern for decades, with the world looking on as a cycle of violence and suffering persists. The recent events in Gaza have brought to light the duality of Western media regarding international humanitarian law (IHL) in addressing the war crimes committed by Israel. There are discrepancies in how the conflict is portrayed in western media, the utter disregard for IHL, and the implications of such bias.

The stark difference between the Western media’s portrayal of the conflict and the realities on the ground is evident from the start. The use of language and framing plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion. Western media’s tendency to label Palestinians as mere objects in Hamas’s hands, to refer to victims as numbers, and to echo Israeli talking points creates a one-sided narrative that legitimizes Israeli brutalities. The suffering and trauma of the Palestinian people, who are descendants of those expelled during the creation of Israel in 1948 (the Nakba), are often omitted. It’s as if their history, their narrative, is ignored, contributing to their dehumanization in the eyes of the world.

International Humanitarian Law clearly defines the rules and principles related to armed conflicts. Israel’s actions in Gaza appear to disregard these laws. The deliberate targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as healthcare facilities and residential areas, points towards war crimes. Israel’s suffocating siege of Gaza since 2007, along with the destruction caused by recent bombings, raises concerns about acts that surely amount to war crimes under IHL. The use of excessive force and the indiscriminate killing of civilians, especially children, should provoke international outrage and scrutiny.

Western media outlets often fail to hold Israel accountable for these violations. Instead, they tend to mention Israel’s “right to defend itself” and Hamas’s use of civilians as “human shields.” This skewed perspective diminishes the seriousness of the violations and creates an environment where international law is selectively applied. The Western media’s willingness to propagate unsubstantiated claims made by Israeli parties, such as the alleged “beheading of 40 babies,” reveals a disturbing pattern. These claims, despite lacking evidence, have been reported by reputable outlets, including CNN and The Independent, with even the U.S. President initially acknowledging them. Such sensationalism serves to justify Israel’s military response by manufacturing public support. It becomes a means to sell the idea of “self-defense” when the reality is that Gaza is often described as the world’s largest “open-air prison.”

The biased narrative in Western media does not solely stem from a lack of integrity among journalists. Some reporters fear losing their livelihoods or careers if they speak out against their network’s pro-Israel bias. The climate of intimidation against journalists and the reluctance of mainstream outlets to humanize Palestinians are causing the credibility of Western media to erode, particularly within the Arabic-speaking world and the Arab diaspora in the West. The duality between Western media coverage and international humanitarian law in addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a pressing issue. Biased reporting not only distorts the understanding of the conflict but also undermines the principles of justice and accountability outlined in international law. It is crucial for both media outlets and individuals to critically assess the information they consume and advocate for a more balanced, ethical, and human-centered perspective on this long-standing crisis. Ultimately, only through a commitment to truth and justice can the suffering on both sides of the conflict be acknowledged and addressed, and a path towards a lasting peace be pursued.