Never believe—completely—what you see, hear, or read in the news.
Because, as you know only too well, what you see, hear, or read in the media is the partial truth and, often, a half lie. True lies are not invariably intentional but they’re always impactful. Heed the words of i24 News: ‘Fake news and propaganda shape Israel-Hamas war’.
And, alas, all other news.
Take the al-Ahli Arab Hospital ‘massacre’ (CNN News 18) in Gaza, Tuesday evening. Wednesday morning newspaper headlines in Hindustan Times, The Times of India, and The Hindu blamed Israel for it: ‘Israel strikes hospital in Gaza strip’ (HT), ‘Hundreds killed in Israeli hit on Gaza hospital’ (TOI) and ‘At least 500 killed in Israeli airstrike on Gaza hospital’ (The Hindu). The Indian Express was more circumspect: ‘Airstrike on hospital kills 500: Gaza Ministry,’ it wrote.
All of these are reports from respected western news agencies like the Associated Press and Reuters—they were based on initial reactions to the attack. In these times of 24×7, second by second information, updates and even rumours via social media posts, the responsibility of journalists who strive for accuracy is almost impossible. Newspapers like TOI or HT have early print deadlines and publish the first take. The New York Times would change its online headlines three times in quick succession, going from blaming Israel for the strike to calling it a ‘blast’ that killed 500. And so did the agencies. Does that mean we need to focus on the online version of the media? But since news changes so frequently, is the `truth’ ever knowable?
For instance, even as we read these stories about the hospital bombing, television news and social media were full of different versions, best captured by Republic TV: ‘IDF: Islamic jihad rocket misfired on hospital’, ‘IDF demolishes western media on hospital attack’. At a press conference, Israel provided ‘proof’ of its innocence.
On the other side of the story, Al Jazeera put out headlines that said ‘Israel strikes hospital’, adding, almost as a second thought, that Israel ‘denies’ the attack.
CNN International hedged its bets: ‘Israel and Palestinian officials blame each other…’, it said; BBC World was as bland, too: it said both sides ‘blame each other’ for the Gaza hospital ‘blast’.
Hindi news channels on Wednesday morning tried to arrive at the ‘truth’ of who was responsible for the deadly strike with the help of military experts. ‘Who benefits?’ asked Times Now Navbharat. The verdict was inconclusive: “There will be claims and counter claims,” said a guest on TV9 Bharatvarsh, ‘Only God knows’ what happened.
No matter how much ‘proof’ both sides present of their version of the ‘truth’, the ding-dong, ping-pong headlines will continue in the media and social media: “Truth is the first casualty,” said former Indian diplomat Prabhu Dayal to NDTV 24×7. “No one will come to know…”
Facts beyond a doubt
The facts everyone agrees upon is that Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October, killing at least 1,400 people and that Israel has retaliated with bombardments of the Gaza strip in which at least 3,500 Palestinians have been killed.
However, facts don’t tell the complete story: how Israelis were ‘murdered’ by Hamas (i24 News), according to accounts from the Israel IDF. Indian TV news channels, along with the international media, have travelled to areas that were attacked, including kibbutz Ber’eri, where Israeli military spokespersons described how women and children had been raped, murdered, and burnt (CNN News 18, Republic TV). Channel 12 Israel said eight babies had been burnt to death. Enough to turn anyone’s stomach against Hamas and Gaza.
But then, over the past week, we’ve seen visuals, across news channels, of Israeli rockets pounding Gaza and killing civilians that include women, children, and the elderly. Side by side, the Indian TV correspondents have shown us the smoke of bombs landing on the Israeli side – a Times Now correspondent rushed for cover in the middle of one attack, while the NewsNation reporter was running to catch a glimpse of an “11 rocket attack” in Ashkelon. Panting for breath, he screamed at his colleague: “Show! Show!”
Shifting public opinion
Is the news about hard facts, then, perceptions? “The optics are not looking good” for Israel, said a CNN International anchor. A guest on BBC World added that the hospital attack would have an “appalling impact” on international opinion.
The New York Times released a video of the situation on the ground after the attack on the hospital: bodies are lined up, body parts scattered, the dead carried in sheets like sacks of potatoes. There were visuals of protests across Arab countries, too. Channels spoke of ‘massacre’, ‘carnage’, ‘deadly attacks’.
Thus, no matter how much Israel pleads ‘not guilty’, public attention is captured by the impact of the attacks on the hospital. Combined with the regular news about Israeli bombardments of Gaza, this latest blast is enough to influence public opinion against Israel—a victim of a horrific terrorist attack.
Perceptions and emotions
As you watch and read accounts of the carnage on both sides and its consequences, you are moved beyond the facts. And the media plays a part in manipulating your perceptions and emotions. So, Al Jazeera will focus largely on the ‘Israeli strike’ on the hospital and how Israel is bombing south Gaza. Israel had previously asked the public to move to the south—the crossover point from Gaza into Egypt—for safety, now it’s bombing Rafah, it said.
Meanwhile, i24 News will continually remind us about the ‘1,400 murdered’ by Hamas. It shows the remains of kibbutz, and photographs of the dead—that of the burnt remains of two spines, one of an adult and another of a child.
Both channels telecast visuals of the bombed sites and public testimonials of devastated civilians—so do the Indian news channels. On one channel, a woman in Gaza said she was “waiting to die”—how can that fail to sadden and horrify you?
Last week, all Indian news channels were firmly in the Israeli camp—‘India with Israel’ was their motto. However, they have been forced to take notice of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza since Israel embarked on what TV9 Bharatvarsh called ‘Op Badla’, and cut off all supplies to the region. So the `truth’ keeps shifting like clouds in the sky.
During the next week, we’ll be asked to believe or not believe many more stories—watch out.
(Edited by Prashant)