Grieving Two Peoples

As the war on the ground enters new phases and delivers new casualties, the information war also intensifies.
As the war on the ground enters new phases and delivers new casualties, the information war also intensifies. Photo: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Baratunde Thurston
October 29, 2023

The sudden escalation of violence in the Middle East, which began on Oct. 7 with a barbaric terror attack by Hamas, has now evolved into a daily horror show of terror, grief, and death. We see the heartbreaking effects of air strikes, territorial siege, rocket barrages, and feel the horrible uncertainty over the fate of those taken hostage, and those missing beneath bombed buildings. But in addition to the physical war, the Israel-Hamas conflict is an information war, one that is playing out daily in our social media feeds. In this context, we are all involved—both as witnesses and combatants—lobbing links, videos, and text screeds onto the digital battlefield.