Media Distortion: Two Years of Misinformation on the Israel-Hamas War

In the two years since Hamas’ October 7, 2023 attacks triggered the ongoing conflict in Gaza, a consistent pattern of misinformation has circulated through mainstream media outlets, shaping international perception of the war.

The conflict, which began with Hamas-led massacres in southern Israel that claimed approximately 1,200 lives, has been frequently portrayed through narratives that lack crucial context or distort facts on the ground, according to media monitoring organizations.

Among the most persistent falsehoods is the claim that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. This accusation, despite being promoted by various organizations including Amnesty International and the UN Commission of Inquiry, fails to meet the legal definition of genocide, which requires proving that the only reasonable inference from Israel’s actions is genocidal intent.

Similarly, claims of deliberate starvation have persisted despite evidence to the contrary. Though a UN-backed organization declared famine in Gaza City and its environs in August 2025, analysts have identified significant methodological flaws in the report’s conclusions, raising questions about its validity.

Basic facts about Gaza have also been misrepresented. Media outlets have incorrectly described the territory as having a pre-war population of 9 million (the actual figure was 2 million) and as being one of the world’s most densely populated areas, when it doesn’t rank in the top 200 globally.

The issue of humanitarian aid has been particularly contentious. Claims that 500 daily trucks are needed to meet pre-war aid levels overlook that most pre-war deliveries were commercial goods, not humanitarian supplies. Since the war began, Israel has facilitated over two million tons of aid into Gaza, with distribution challenges often stemming from Hamas theft, UN operational issues, or combat zone logistics.

Several alleged incidents have become emblematic of media misrepresentation. In October 2023, Hamas claimed an Israeli airstrike hit Al-Ahli Hospital, killing 500 people. Evidence later confirmed the explosion was caused by a misfired Islamic Jihad rocket that hit the hospital’s parking lot, causing significantly fewer casualties than reported.

The media has also uncritically accepted casualty figures from Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health, despite statistical anomalies that undermine their credibility, such as periods when reported women and children’s deaths exceeded the total reported deaths.

Medical facilities have been a particular focus of contested narratives. While media reports suggested Israel targeted Al-Shifa Hospital without justification, evidence later emerged of Hamas using the facility for military purposes, including weapons storage, tunnel infrastructure, and hostage detention.

International legal proceedings have also been misrepresented. When the International Court of Justice ruled on South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, many outlets incorrectly reported that the court found “plausible evidence of genocide,” when its former president clarified that no such determination was made.

Recent allegations have included claims that Israel planned to intern 600,000 Palestinians in camps, when the actual proposal involved a “humanitarian city” designed to improve aid access while screening for Hamas affiliations.

Media analysts point to a troubling pattern where initial reporting often amplifies Hamas claims without verification, creating lasting impressions even when later disproven. This tendency has extended to images of malnourished children presented as evidence of widespread starvation, when many featured children had pre-existing medical conditions that increase malnutrition risk regardless of humanitarian conditions.

The cumulative effect of these distortions, according to media watchdogs, has been to create a narrative that portrays Israel as the sole aggressor while minimizing or omitting Hamas’ role in both triggering the conflict and exacerbating civilian suffering.

As the war approaches its third year, the challenge of separating fact from fiction remains as critical as ever for understanding the complex realities of the ongoing conflict.