German Media Framing of Egypt's Role in Israeli-Gaza war

Author

Faculty of Al-Alsun and Mass Communication, Misr International University MIU

Abstract

The outbreak of violent armed confrontations between Hamas, the ruling power in the Gaza Strip, and the Israeli army on October 7, 2023, placed Egypt in a vital role as a key mediator and actor in the ensuing conflict. This Egyptian role in the recent Israeli war on Gaza garnered significant attention from German and international media, leading to analyses and evaluations of Egypt's position, its diplomatic efforts, and its activities aimed at resolving the escalating crisis. Consequently, a large volume of news reports, editorials, podcasts, and videos appeared in German-speaking media, which presented different frameworks for Egypt and its role in the conflict. This study sought to analyze German opinion materials to understand how they portrayed Egypt's role in the Israeli war on Gaza following the events of October 7, 2023. The results indicated the emergence of frames of responsibility, conflict, morality, humanitarian concern, and economic consequences. These frames presented a dual image of Egypt, where it was sometimes depicted as an active mediator between Israel and Hamas and a humanitarian supporter of Palestinians in Gaza, and at other times negatively portrayed as an immoral party in the crisis, prioritizing its own interests at the expense of the well-being of displaced Palestinians and contributing to the exacerbation of their humanitarian crisis.

Keywords


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