The operation in Gaza and the firing of missiles at Israel are having a hard time making headlines in Europe this weekend. It seems that the media are having trouble understanding whether this is a comprehensive and extensive operation, as happened more than a year ago during the “Guardian of the Walls”, or a localized flare-up, which escalated quickly and by surprise, without a lengthy preparation period. Perhaps due to the war in Ukraine, or the tensions in the international arena between the US and China and the economic situation, the coverage at this stage is much smaller than it was in May 2021. The current non-involvement of the Hamas organization also helps at this stage to paint the picture as a violent but fleeting conflict.
In Germany, for example, it is difficult to find reports about what is happening in the Gaza Strip and in Israel on the home pages of the leading news sites. In France, “Le Monde” reported this afternoon on its home page that “the growing tensions between Israel and the Islamic Jihad raise the fear of escalation”. In the body of the news it is written that “the Hebrew state (Israel, AA) bombed the Palestinian enclave on Friday, killing 11 people, including a five-year-old girl and one of the commanders of the Islamic Jihad, who responded by firing more than 100 rockets” Once again, the well-respected French newspaper wrote, “Gaza threatens to slide into the center of war.” “Another night of Israeli bombings on Gaza,” reads the title of a news item on the left-wing “Liberation” website, “Islamic Jihad Responds.”
Also in Britain, the “Guardian” from the left – which in the past received criticism for its one-sided treatment of terrorist incidents carried out by Palestinian terrorists in Israel – reports in its main headline that “Israel is bombing the Gaza Strip for the second day in a row as part of a ‘preventive strike'”. The British newspaper reports on 12 deaths in Israeli attacks. In English, the Israeli operation is known as “Breaking Dawn”. The exchange of fire left the population in Gaza “fearing another round of fighting,” the newspaper reports. The “Telegraph” on the right also reports on “a 5-year-old girl among the many dead when Israel attacks Gaza from the air.” The website of the British state broadcasting network “BBC” reports in a main headline on its home page that “Israel arrested 19 terror suspects, while the conflict in Gaza flares up”.
Little attention to the exchange of fire and the iron dome
As of noon on Saturday, the major news websites and news agencies are not paying much attention to the exchange of fire, despite Israeli clarifications that the army is preparing for an operation that may last at least a week. “Attacks from the air and rocket fire are pushing Israel and Gaza into a second day of exchanges of fire,” the Reuters news agency reported at noon. “Israel and extremists from Gaza exchange fire for the second day in a row”, reported the “New York Times”, while the “IP” network reports that “Israel and extremists from Gaza exchange fire after deadly attacks from the air”.
Another difference compared to the coverage of the “Guardian of the Walls” operation is the lack of focus in the last day on the performance of the “Iron Dome” system. In May, the successful interceptions led the international coverage after several days of fighting, but now the issue is hardly noticeable. The media mention, however, that the system, which is now at the center of purchase intentions of other countries, was able to intercept most of the missiles and that no Israeli citizens have been harmed so far.