MEDIA AND POLITICAL DECISION-MAKING DURING THE AGGRESSION ON GAZA: A NARRATIVE ANALYTICAL STUDY

Abstract

This study investigates the mutual shaping of media narratives and political decision-making during the 2023–2024 Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip. Adopting a hybrid descriptive-analytical and qualitative design, it analyses Arab, Western, and Israeli media content alongside semistructured interviews with 15 experts in media, politics, and international relations. The findings reveal a consistent pro-Israel bias in major Western outlets, manifested through selective framing and terminology that marginalizes Palestinian perspectives. The research underscores the media’s dual role in documenting events and constructing political narratives that inform policy, while noting the rising influence of alternative and social media in challenging mainstream discourse despite censorship and disinformation. Overall, the study demonstrates that media and political decision-making operate as interconnected processes shaped by ideology, strategic interests, and geopolitical dynamics.