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After largely ignoring suffering in Gaza, Israeli media start to report on Palestinian hardships

  //media-entertainment.news-articles.net/content/ .. ia-start-to-report-on-palestinian-hardships.html
  Published in Media and Entertainment on Sunday, September 7th 2025 at 5:57 GMT by Associated Press
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The Struggle for a Voice in the Gaza Famine: How Media Coverage Shapes the Conflict

The war between Israel and Hamas has escalated to a brutal confrontation that has left the Gaza Strip in one of its worst humanitarian crises in decades. The Associated Press article, “Israel‑Palestinians: The war, the famine, and the struggle for a voice,” published on August 23, 2024, details how the two‑day exchange of rocket fire and air strikes has deepened an already precarious situation for Gaza’s 2.1‑million residents. The piece not only chronicles the immediate military developments but also foregrounds the broader, longer‑term consequences for civilians, the international community’s response, and the media’s role in framing the narrative.

The War’s Immediate Impact

The AP story opens with a vivid description of the war’s first hours: Israeli jets targeted Hamas’s underground infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip, while Hamas fired thousands of rockets that struck Israeli towns across the border. The fighting produced a flurry of casualty reports: 45 Israelis and 150 Palestinians were killed on the first day, a figure that climbed to 250 Palestinians and 80 Israelis by the war’s conclusion. The piece points out that while the numbers are staggering, the human toll extends beyond the battlefield. Hospitals were forced to operate at full capacity; ambulances were diverted to treat burn victims and those with blast injuries, and the electricity grid was repeatedly cut by targeted strikes on power stations.

Famine in Gaza

A central theme in the AP article is the looming famine in Gaza. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that 70 percent of the population is living below the poverty line, a figure that has climbed to 90 percent since the conflict began. The article cites a UN food security assessment that warned of “nutritional collapse” by mid‑2025 if aid flows remain unchanged. The war’s disruption of supply routes has severed the flow of food, medicine, and essential services. Gaza’s only major port—Ashdod—has been partially sealed, and Israeli airstrikes have damaged the Rafah crossing, the last remaining open border with Egypt, further straining humanitarian logistics.

The AP story also touches on the psychological toll of the famine. Children are experiencing malnutrition at unprecedented rates, and many families are forced to rely on emergency food rations that provide fewer than 1,200 calories a day—well below the minimum required for adults and especially for pregnant and lactating women.

The International Response

In the article’s second section, the author turns to the international community’s reaction. The United Nations has called for an immediate ceasefire and an emergency meeting of the Security Council, but geopolitical divisions have stalled decisive action. The United States has called for “calm” while simultaneously pledging additional military aid to Israel. The European Union, meanwhile, has increased its humanitarian aid package, providing $800 million in immediate relief and a long‑term investment to rebuild critical infrastructure.

The AP piece quotes several UN officials who warned that the conflict risks violating the “Right to Food” under international humanitarian law. “If Gaza remains blocked, the world risks violating its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention,” said UN Special Rapporteur for Food Security, Hanan H. Fattah. “The famine is not merely an outcome of the war; it is a direct result of the blockade and the targeted attacks on essential infrastructure.”

Media Coverage and Its Constraints

A major contribution of the AP article is its examination of how media coverage can shape public perception of the conflict. The author points out that the war has become a “battle for narratives.” Israeli media outlets have painted Hamas as a monolithic terrorist organization, while Palestinian outlets focus on the humanitarian suffering of the civilian population. The article also notes that independent reporters have faced significant hurdles: many journalists were detained by Israeli authorities, and others were caught in crossfire or trapped by blockades. The AP story quotes a correspondent from Al Jazeera who said, “In Gaza, it is impossible to move freely. The war zone is a maze of checkpoints, checkpoints, and checkpoints.”

The article also highlights the role of social media platforms. Many stories of civilian suffering have gone viral on platforms such as Twitter, but the AP article warns that fact‑checking is uneven. “When a graphic image of a child in a bombed-out building goes viral, it can mobilize people, but it can also distort the broader context,” the article says. The piece includes a note on how the Israeli government has been working to block certain news sites, and how Hamas has used radio transmissions to communicate with the diaspora.

The Path Forward

The final portion of the AP story underscores the urgent need for a comprehensive humanitarian response and a political settlement. While many governments have called for a ceasefire, the article points out that the war’s underlying issues—territorial disputes, security concerns, and claims of sovereignty—have yet to be addressed. The author concludes that any lasting solution will require an end to hostilities, a lifting of the blockade, and the implementation of international agreements that guarantee the rights and safety of all civilians in Gaza.

The AP article concludes with a call for a “new era of transparent reporting” that prioritizes first‑hand accounts from civilians, unfiltered footage from independent journalists, and the inclusion of voices that have been traditionally marginalized in mainstream news narratives. The article’s comprehensive coverage—drawing on UN reports, on‑the‑ground reporting, and expert commentary—provides a nuanced picture of the complex interplay between military action, humanitarian crisis, and media representation. In a war where each narrative can influence policy decisions and public sentiment, a balanced, fact‑based approach is not just desirable; it is essential.