Thousands of Israeli Protesters Demand Hostages Released, Ceasefire Deal

Thousands of Israelis protested in Tel Aviv over the weekend to demand a ceasefire deal and hostage releases. Large protests also transpired in New York City in support of Palestinians.

Tel Aviv: Israeli protesters gathered to support family members of Hamas-held hostages, who have been in captivity for nearly two years. About 20 of the 50 unreleased hostages are expected to be alive. Many opposed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of a two-state solution that would establish a Palestinian state, since Hamas officials asserted they would not demilitarize without one. Protesters instead supported a ceasefire and hostage release deal. Some blocked streets and set fires, resulting in over thirty arrests.

New York City: Protesters in New York City held signs that read #shutitdown4palestine and “Stop Killing Journalists.” The rally was the largest since the March arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, who was in attendance. Protests have reportedly increased ahead of the city’s United Nations General Assembly in September. See more on Khalil’s case and other controversial deportations and detainments under the Trump administration. 

How The Media Covered It: News media mainly slanted coverage using word choice bias. New York Post (Lean Right bias), for instance, referred to Hamas as a “terror group.” The New York Times (Lean Left) said Netanyahu has been “almost impervious to public sentiment.” The Post specified the violence during the Tel Aviv protests and reported on “thousands” of protesters, while the Times did not specify the violence and reported on “hundreds of thousands” of protesters. The Times of Israel (Center), which covered the New York City protests, exhibited negativity bias against Khalil by saying he “downplayed campus antisemitism.” Read more about the 16 types of media bias and how to spot them.

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