Western Media Bias and the Overlooked Voices of Palestinian Prisoners

In recent weeks, media outlets across the globe have reported on the prisoner exchange as one of the first steps in the cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas. The exchange involves 33 Israeli captives, captivated by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack, and 1,900 Palestinian prisoners arrested by Israel since then and earlier.

Although both Israelis and Palestinians are part of this exchange, Western media have portrayed only one side of the story. While extensive details are available about each Israeli prisoner and their families, Palestinian stories remain largely untold.

Media Coverage of the Prisoner Exchange Between Israel and Hamas

CNN published an article titled “Pale, gaunt Israeli hostages freed from Gaza captivity as scores of Palestinian prisoners released under ceasefire deal.” Another CNN report highlighted that “Freed Israeli hostages did not know their loved ones had died.” Additionally, BBC featured a story titled “Hamas hostages: Stories of the people taken from Israel.”

These are just a few of the headlines from English-speaking Western media regarding the most recent prisoner exchange. More often than not, these reports give Israeli hostages a face, a name, and a story. Videos on major Western TV channels show them being released and reunited with their loved ones. At times, viewers hear about their captivity and the life they led before being abducted by Hamas.

As is the case with this video from ABC, stories of abuse perpetrated by Hamas against Israeli prisoners are often shared, along with the perspectives of their families. The daughter of recently released Israeli captive Ohad Ben Ami told CNN: "I had many pictures in my mind of my dad, but nothing prepared me for those pictures of him on that stage in Gaza. I was sure I would be strong, but I fell to the floor and screamed."

While coverage of the pain experienced by Israelis is well documented, the suffering of Palestinians is not portrayed. The perspectives of those detained in Israeli prisons, as well as the pain of their families, fade in the stream of news.

Although major media organizations such as CNN and BBC have reported on the dire conditions of Palestinian prisoners following detention in Israeli jails "with signs of physical abuse and starvation," these reports do not make it to the headlines.

Scenes of Palestinian prisoners' release, like those shown in this video, depict a chaotic crowd, which contributes to the portrayal of Palestinians as a group rather than as individuals.

"Many of them need medical care," it is said. But their faces are unknown, and footage of reunions with their families is not available. No perspective from a Palestinian family has made it to the headlines of a Western newspaper, let alone the story of a Palestinian captive in an Israeli jail.

To hear these stories, one must rely on smaller independent media or Arabic-speaking news organizations, which have gathered the experiences of Palestinians held in captivity, as well as the moments of reunion with their loved ones.

There is a clear double standard in portraying the suffering of the people (Israeli and Palestinian) involved in this war. As Canadian journalist Samira Mohyeddin explains, "The most obvious difference is the fact that we call them 'Palestinian prisoners' and we call the Israelis 'hostages,' even though many of them are actually IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) soldiers who have been taken."

Some Palestinian prisoners have been accused of terrorist acts related to military groups such as Hamas. "Many of them," says Palestinian activist Bushra Al-Tahil, "have never been charged, much less convicted of a crime." This was also true in her case, as Al-Tahil was detained for 10 months without ever being presented with any evidence regarding the motives for her arrest.

The Gaza War: Epitome of Western Media Bias

The issue of the double standard in Western media coverage of the war in Gaza is well known, and major newsrooms such as CNN and BBC have been accused of being biased in favor of Israel in their journalistic accounts over the years.

Since October 7, 2023, media in the Western world have faced backlash and criticism for their biased reporting. According to the cross-border newsroom Unbias The News, "Historical context was missing" from the earliest reports, despite being a crucial aspect of a conflict that has lasted nearly 80 years.

In December 2023, nearly 1,500 journalists working for U.S.-based news organizations signed an open letter condemning the killing of journalists by the Israeli army. They also held Western newsrooms "accountable for dehumanizing rhetoric that has served to justify the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians," adding that "Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim perspectives" have been undermined and dismissed as unreliable.

A journalism review published in 2024 by the Al Jazeera Media Institute highlighted that the problem dates back well before October 7, but has become more evident since then. The result is that in the most internationally known and recognized Western media, which at times "synchronize" with the Israeli propaganda machine, Palestinians remain voiceless.

Read More

Has the Far Right Israeli Narrative Begun to Turn Against Trump?

Gallant Admits Using Hannibal Directive on October 7