Israel, Hamas, Palestine, and the Gaza Strip: A Complex Conflict Unveiled
The war between Israel and Hamas is a deeply entrenched and intricate conflict, characterized by complex politics, military control, and religious dimensions. It has gripped the attention of journalists worldwide, as they navigate the challenging task of reporting on one of the world's most convoluted and long-standing conflicts. Following the Hamas attack on Israel and Israel’s response, the world has turned all eyes to this conflict, and a lot of black-and-white thinking is plaguing both citizens and journalists alike.
At the heart of this ongoing conflict is the struggle over land and political sovereignty. Palestinians were the predominant inhabitants of the land that eventually became Israel in 1948. At that time, the state of Israel was established out of the British Mandate of Palestine, home to around 1.2 million Arabs. This historical event, known to Arabs as the Nakba, or catastrophe, led to the expulsion or departure of over 700,000 Arabs from their homes, with roughly 150,000 remaining in the newly formed state of Israel. These Arab citizens, who now make up about 21% of Israel's population, were subjected to military rule until 1966.
The majority of Arab citizens in Israel are Sunni Muslims, although there are also Christian and Druze populations. They share historical, cultural, and familial ties with Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, as well as the Palestinian diaspora in various countries. Despite their significant presence, Arab political parties have long struggled to gain representation in Israel's government, which has left many Arab citizens feeling marginalized, especially under right-wing Jewish leadership. Some have equated this political inequity with a state of unmitigated apartheid.
Israel, a nation with a predominantly Jewish population, is central to both Islam and Christianity. The Zionist movement, originating in the late 1800s and driven by both religious and political motivations, aimed to establish Palestine as a homeland for Jews. The Balfour Declaration in 1917 expressed support for this idea, but it faced opposition from Arab communities who feared becoming second-class citizens in their own land.
The Arab-Israeli War in 1947-1949 marked a turning point, leading to the establishment of Israel as an independent state. This period saw the formation of a divided territory, with Israel on one side and a proposed Arab state on the other. Arab nations, including Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, opposed this partition and engaged in conflict with Israel. The outcome led to the West Bank becoming part of Jordan and the Gaza Strip becoming Egyptian territory.
Over the years, there have been multiple conflicts between Israel and Hamas, including wars in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021, and 2023. These conflicts have resulted in significant casualties, with over 3,000 private citizens and Palestinians killed in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in 2023 alone. The lack of consensus on the status of Palestine as a nation-state remains a fundamental issue, despite recognition by 135 United Nations member nations.
Gaza, a small strip of land along the Mediterranean Sea, is home to 2.1 million Palestinians and has been subject to prolonged Israeli restrictions. Its economy lags far behind that of the West Bank, with much lower per capita income and high unemployment and poverty rates. Gaza's economic development has been hindered by Israeli-imposed restrictions on the movement of labor and goods, making it heavily dependent on Israel for trade. The continued control of movement and trade by Israel contributes to the economic challenges faced by Gazans. Following Hamas’s attack in October 2023, the Gaza strip has come under siege, meaning citizens have lost access to water, food, and electricity.
Hamas, a political and Islamist militant group founded in 1987, plays a central role in the conflict. It emerged as an offshoot of the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and has called for the destruction of Israel. The U.S. Department of State designated Hamas a terrorist group in 1997. Hamas's rise to power in Gaza triggered Israel's blockade of the strip.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas is characterized by sensitive language. Journalists must maintain objectivity and avoid using subjective adjectives, or being reductive on points of the Palestinian and Israeli motivations for the war. However, they should aim to provide the most complete and accurate version of events, acknowledging the suffering experienced by both Palestinians and Israelis at the hands of their leadership.
Individuals and groups involved must be named according to their preferred identification: there are a lot of misconceptions about complex identities in Palestine and Israel. Identifiers, such as Arab-Israeli, Palestinian citizens of Israel, or Palestinian, are often conflated with their governments or with being on a specific side of the conflict. Nationality is also often equated with religious identification, even though there are plenty of Israeli Muslims and Palestinian Christians. This is essential to avoid misrepresenting the conflict as primarily religious.
Coverage of protests, which often accompany the conflict, must be conducted thoughtfully and critically. In the age of social media, protesters disseminate reductive content to fit their particular agendas. Some further malicious actors are spreading unsubstantiated claims or hatred, as well as misinformation about aggression in the conflict.
Protests may also use graphic images, videos, and audio from all sides of the conflict to fit their agenda. In order to engage meaningfully with this, journalists must responsibly contextualize this content. Journalists should consider the journalistic purpose behind displaying graphic content, ensuring that it serves a legitimate purpose in enhancing audience understanding, and ensuring that all of the information available is presented for the sake of understanding the conflict more deeply.
One major thing: no Holocaust analogies. Unless an act of violence so similar to the Holocaust occurs, there is no reason to bring up the extermination of 6 million Jews as a political talking point or as a throwaway piece of evidence for an unrelated conflict. Antisemitism is not synonymous with the Holocaust and should be exposed more completely than reducing the pain of Jewish people to the greatest tragedy in Semitic history.
In summary, reporting on the Israel-Hamas conflict requires journalists to navigate a highly complex and sensitive landscape. By adhering to ethical principles, maintaining objectivity, and providing accurate and comprehensive information, journalists can contribute to a better understanding of this protracted conflict—which society is in desperate need of.
