FRAMING THE GAZA-ISRAEL WAR: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA NARRATIVES (2023–2025 MARCH)

Abstract

In October 2023, the Gaza-Israel violence received extensive reporting on international media organisations, with variability in coverage greatly depending on the region. This paper examines The Framing of the Conflict in The New York Times, The Dawn, and Gulf Times between October 2023 and March 2025 using Entman's Theory of Framing to discuss changes in how this problem is framed, its causes, and the moral evaluations and solutions suggested. First, the Western media, especially The New York Times, covered the Conflict. It was perceived to be a self-defence measure by Israel in response to the surprise attack of Hamas, and the emphasis was on the militarisation of the Conflict and the right to save the lives of its citizens. On the other hand, the Middle East and the Global South reports by the same media outlets, e.g., The Dawn, the Gulf Times, focused on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and criticised the military operations of Israel as disproportionate and on the suffering of the Palestinian people. The media coverage changed towards more human rights abuses, international responsibility, and the necessity of a ceasefire and a peace negotiation as the Conflict continued. The paper explains the various ways in which media presentation of the war between Gaza and Israel affected the overall understanding of the war, along with the flexibility of international diplomacy and a wider geopolitical division between the West and the Global South. The results highlight the central role that media plays in the Framing of conflicts and how these frames influence the discourse and interventions in international politics.