PEACE OR WAR JOURNALISM? RETHINKING MEDIA NARRATIVES ON THE 2023 ISRAEL-GAZA ESCALATION

Abstract

The October 2023 escalation of the Israel-Gaza conflict triggered widespread international media coverage, highlighting once again the influential role of journalism in shaping public discourse, political attitudes, and conflict narratives. This thesis investigates how two major news organizations, Al Jazeera and CNN, reported on the conflict, using the theoretical frameworks of peace journalism and war journalism as proposed by Johan Galtung. Through a comparative qualitative thematic analysis of selected news articles published by both outlets during the escalation, this study explores the extent to which each adhered to or diverged from peace journalism principles, such as contextual reporting, balanced sourcing, humanization of all sides, and emphasis on nonviolent alternatives. The analysis focuses on specific dimensions of coverage including language use, framing strategies, selection of sources, representation of casualties, and portrayal of causes and consequences. Given the geopolitical affiliations, audience demographics, and editorial orientations of CNN (a U.S.-based outlet) and Al Jazeera (Qatar-based and widely consumed in the Global South), this comparison offers critical insights into how global narratives about conflict are constructed and contested across ideological and cultural lines. The study also addresses the broader implications of media framing for international perception, policy influence, and conflict dynamics. to. In doing so, this thesis contributes to ongoing debates on the responsibilities of global media, the politicization of conflict coverage, and the need for more nuanced, context-rich, and peace-sensitive journalism in times of war.