Remembrance with Recognition: Covering October 7, 2023 Two Years Into a Genocide

To the Editors and Journalists, 

As we approach the second anniversary of October 7, 2023, here are some key guidelines for coverage grounded in responsible and ethical journalism. Two years later, coverage must not stop at the events of the day. It must also address the genocide in Gaza that followed, the growing global consensus of genocide, and the global shifts in recognition of Palestinian rights to statehood. Selective remembrance distorts the truth.

Key Consideration: 

Timeline Integrity

Removing October 7, 2023 from the historical timeline fuels misinformation, both regarding the day of and the devastation that followed. To ensure accuracy, avoid selective history and half-truths.

• Misleading the public through selective history: Citing Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 without including the context of the complete siege and blockade imposed by the Israeli government, effectively turning Gaza into what has been described as the world’s largest open-air prison.
• Misleading through half-truths: Omission of Israel’s near-yearly devastating operations on Gaza conducted under Israel’s questionable “mowing the lawn” policy, which demonstrates the pattern of mass civilian causalities and destruction prior to October 7th.

A Framework of International Humanitarian Law

Going forward from October 7th, 2023, Israel’s actions must be reported within the framework of International Humanitarian Law rather than the narrative of “grief” and “rage” that dominated coverage on the first anniversary.

• Israel’s use of disproportionate force against civilians (genocide), hospitals (medicide), schools and universities (scholasticide), residential buildings (domicide), and civilian infrastructure (urbacide).
• Israel’s targeting of journalists, medics, civil defense workers, and aid workers.
• Israel’s blockade of aid, medicine, food, and fuel as a form of collective punishment, culminating in a man-made famine.
• Israel is currently on trial at the International Court of Justice for genocide. Leading human-rights organizations, genocide scholars, and others have all concluded that what is happening in Gaza is a genocide.

Global Opinion

Coverage of October 7 must reflect how global opinion has shifted dramatically over the past two years. While centring IHL is imperative, highlighting the zeitgeist of the times is also important.

• States such as Ireland, Norway, Spain, France, the UK, and Canada have all formally recognized a Palestinian State, and others have signaled their intent to do so.
• Polls show majorities of populations view Israel’s actions as genocide
• Civil society, unions, student movements, and faith groups have all mobilized in solidarity with Palestinians, creating one of the largest global protest movements. These calls include recognition of genocide and an end to military aid.
• Repressive policies in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada against Palestinian solidarity signal a troubling use of a state power to repress freedoms of speech, assembly and expression.

Equal Weight to Suffering

Selective grief distorts reality. Coverage that mourns Israeli lives while erasing Palestinian suffering and grief fuels the dehumanization of Palestinians and distorts reality.

• October 7, 2023, must be remembered, but within proportion.
• While the confirmed death toll in Gaza is over 66,000, this number comes with many caveats. Namely, this number only reflects the traumatic death injuries. Credible studies based on multiple data sources put the number at 680,000, factoring in indirect deaths (due to deprivation). Secondly, this number is primarily comprised of infants, children, women and other vulnerable populations such as the elderly, medically compromised, and disabled. Thirdly, campaigns to discredit the death toll in Gaza should be reconsidered through the lens of the dehumanization of Palestinian suffering. For instance, the revision of the death toll in 2024 by the Gaza Health Ministry was seized as an opportunity to discredit Palestinian suffering. It was uncritically amplified, even by mainstream Western media outlets. In reality, this revision reflected the difference between direct and indirect deaths. Given the famine situation in Gaza and the preventable nature of many of these deaths, it begs the question of whether these indirect deaths should be excluded if they are the result of Israel’s intentional policy resulting in genocide?

The story of October 7, 2023 cannot be told truthfully without recognizing the genocide that followed. Anything less is selective reporting and selective grief.