By Oded J.K. Faran and Walter E. Block
Israel possesses overwhelming military superiority over Hamas. The IDF operates as a world-class military force, while Hamas consists of terrorists who deliberately hide behind civilian shields, placing munitions beneath hospitals, schools, and residential areas. This tactic surpasses even Nazi wartime conduct in its cynical disregard for innocent lives.
Israel also holds the far stronger claim to contested territories. Following John Locke’s principle that those who first “mixed their labor” with land hold rightful ownership, the Jewish presence in this region dates back three millennia, while Arab settlement occurred only centuries ago. Archaeological evidence beneath the Al Aqsa Mosque confirms the Jewish Second Temple’s prior existence, demonstrating clear historical precedence.
Yet Hamas achieves crushing victory in one crucial arena: public relations.
Hamas has convinced much of the world that the IDF commits genocide despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. This represents a masterclass in propaganda that would impress Joseph Goebbels himself. Consider the inversions Hamas has achieved: the aggressor appears as victim, the democracy as oppressor, the terrorist organization as freedom fighter. If Hamas operatives pursued careers on Madison Avenue, they would dominate the industry through their persuasive prowess rather than their usual murderous methods.
Consider the facts: Hamas claims genocide based on approximately 60,000 deaths in Gaza (Gaza Health Ministry/PBS News, July 2025)¹ – genocide allegations. But if Israel truly intended to eliminate Gaza’s entire population, would any rational observer doubt that all 2.2 million residents (UN Relief and Works Agency, 2024)² – total population would perish within a week? The IDF’s actual conduct tells a different story. Israeli forces drop leaflets warning civilians before strikes, send tens of thousands of food trucks into Gaza, and employ precision tactics to minimize civilian casualties. What genocidal regime feeds its supposed victims?
The absurdity becomes clear when Hamas simultaneously accuses Israel of orchestrating mass starvation while Israeli trucks deliver humanitarian aid daily (NBC News, July 2025)³ – aid truck deliveries. No previous genocidal campaign in history has included feeding programs for target populations. The Nazis didn’t ship food to Warsaw Ghetto residents; Stalin didn’t send grain to Ukraine during the Holodomor. Yet Israel somehow conducts “genocide” while operating one of history’s largest humanitarian aid operations.
Hamas’s propaganda victory is complete and undeniable. In any publicity contest between Israel and Hamas, the match would end with Hamas’s first blow.
Now media organizations worldwide demand Israel grant press access to Gaza during military operations. Israel correctly refuses. Why should they compete on Hamas’s strongest ground? International media has already rendered its verdict: Israel stands guilty regardless of evidence; despite clear evidence to the contrary. This predetermined conclusion eliminates any benefit Israel might gain from media presence.
For nearly two years, Israel has endured relentlessly negative coverage based on Hamas propaganda rather than verified facts. The pattern is predictable: Hamas stages incidents, international media amplifies the narrative, and Israel faces condemnation regardless of context. Remember the false claims about Israeli strikes on Al-Ahli Hospital, initially blamed on Israel and later traced to Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Human Rights Watch, November 2023)? – hospital explosion evidence? The correction received only a fraction of the coverage. Additional media access would only provide more ammunition for predetermined narratives. Journalists can continue writing their stories about alleged Israeli misconduct without front-row seats to military operations.
Israel’s security concerns are legitimate. Military operations require operational security, and embedded media can compromise tactical advantages and endanger both soldiers and journalists. The deaths of approximately 200 journalists in Gaza (Committee to Protect Journalists, September 2025)? – journalist casualties, while tragic, occurred primarily because Hamas uses civilian areas for military purposes (NATO Strategic Communications Centre, 2019)? – human shields documentation, making all locations potential targets.
Furthermore, many Gazan media outlets maintain ties to Hamas or other terrorist organizations (Israeli UN letter, August 2014)? – media-Hamas connections. Israel cannot distinguish between legitimate journalists and Hamas operatives masquerading as press, particularly when Hamas explicitly states that “the spy and the journalist are one and the same” (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2023)? – Hamas threats to journalists.
The calls for media access ring hollow when critics ignore Hamas’s systematic use of human shields and propaganda campaigns. Western media organizations demanding access have already demonstrated their bias through uncritical acceptance of Hamas casualty figures and narratives.
Other democracies allowing wartime media access operate under different circumstances. The United States embedded reporters in Iraq and Afghanistan after establishing secure zones and operational control. Ukraine permits journalists while fighting a conventional war against uniformly identified Russian forces. Gaza presents unique challenges: urban warfare against terrorists who deliberately blend with civilians and exploit media presence for propaganda purposes.
Israel’s media ban serves legitimate security interests while denying Hamas additional propaganda opportunities. The policy may appear defensive, but it represents sound strategic thinking. Israel owes no obligation to provide Hamas with more tools for their informational warfare campaign.
The international community demanding media access should first address Hamas’s use of civilian shields, manipulation of casualty figures, and systematic deception. Where are the calls for Hamas to release hostages, stop using hospitals as command centers, or allow Gazan civilians to evacuate? The selective outrage reveals the true agenda. Until critics acknowledge Hamas’s war crimes and propaganda operations, Israel’s Gaza media ban remains not just defensible, but strategically necessary.
Israel faces an enemy that weaponizes sympathy, exploits humanitarian concerns, and turns every civilian casualty into a propaganda victory. In this asymmetric conflict, media access becomes another tool of warfare. Israel’s refusal to provide that tool represents sound military strategy, not democratic failure.
Sources:
- Gaza Health Ministry/PBS News, July 2025
- UN Relief and Works Agency, 2024
- NBC News, July 2025
- Committee to Protect Journalists, September 2025
- NATO Strategic Communications Centre, 2019
- Human Rights Watch, November 2023
- Israeli UN Letter, August 2014
- Committee to Protect Journalists, 2023
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