Since the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, Gaza has become a focal point in Brazilian media, with the war shaping public discourse and sparking significant debate. Coverage of the genocidal war in Gaza (2023–2025) has mirrored Brazil’s political divisions, reflecting varied perspectives toward the Israeli Occupation in Occupied Palestine and its diplomatic stance. This coverage has been influenced by civil society movements, international pressure and powerful media conglomerates, all of which have shaped Brazil’s portrayal of this complex and ongoing crisis.
At the outset of the Gaza genocide in 2023, Brazilian media predominantly focused on condemning Hamas, highlighting the “Hamas attacks on Israeli”. Reports prioritised the destruction caused by rocket strikes and leaned heavily on narratives provided by Israeli authorities. This framing revealed the significant influence of the Zionist lobby on major Brazilian media outlets. The Israeli aggression was widely portrayed as an “assault on our ally, Israel”, with many platforms abandoning journalistic neutrality to amplify war propaganda.
Prominent news platforms—including 24-hour channels such as Globonews, Band News, Record News, and Jovem Pan, often compared to the Brazilian version of Fox News—initially avoided critical coverage of Israel’s actions. However, sustained pressure from civil society organisations eventually prompted some outlets to address human rights violations and criticisms of Israel. Despite these shifts, pro-Palestinian perspectives have remained significantly marginalised, with limited visibility in Brazil’s media landscape.
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Experts argue that Brazil’s influential media conglomerates play a key role in shaping public and political discourse, often contributing to biased coverage of international events like the Gaza aggression. The framing of such narratives not only impacts how the Israeli aggression is perceived domestically but also influences Brazil’s position on the global stage.
O correspondente da SIC Henrique Cymerman esteve na fronteira com Gaza, onde viu fotografias e vídeos que mostram a violência dos ataques do Hamas. Veja aqui o relato, que pode ferir a suscetibilidade dos mais sensíveis
Acompanhe as atualizações: https://t.co/WcPRv693MF pic.twitter.com/C1f8D4V4xj
— Expresso (@expresso) October 12, 2023
One key issue in the coverage is the frequent use of the term “Israel-Hamas war” which reduces the complex situation to a two-sided narrative. This approach often overlooks the broader and long-standing struggles faced by the Palestinian people under Israeli Occupation. The framing tends to ignore the ongoing Israeli assaults on Gaza, including aggressive and illegal land grabs, as well as previous deadly attacks on Palestinian civilians.
The scale of Israeli attacks—targeting schools, hospitals and causing a staggering number of civilian casualties—raises critical questions not only about Israel’s actions but also about how both Western and Brazilian media have covered the crisis. Amid the relentless suffering and death, there have been efforts to distort the facts and, in some cases, to conceal the truth.
I recall an experience with a journalist from CNN Brazil who contacted me for an interview about the situation in Gaza. I requested that she send the questions in advance for review. Unsurprisingly, most of the questions completely ignored the ongoing tragedy in Gaza—the bombing, destruction and hunger caused by the Israeli Occupation. Instead, they focused almost entirely on the events of 7 October, placing the full responsibility for the situation on Hamas. Furthermore, the questions included terms like “conflict”, “war” and “the State of Israel” which framed the narrative in a particular direction.
After discussing and requesting modifications to the questions, I agreed to proceed with the interview. However, I was later surprised to find that the episode was never aired, nor was an article published featuring my statements.
As the Gaza genocide progressed, the tone of Brazilian media coverage, including Globo, began to shift toward a more sympathetic portrayal of Israel. Headlines such as “Governo israelense afirma agir para garantir segurança regional” reflected a narrative that aligned Israel’s actions with broader geopolitical justifications. By emphasizing Israel’s stated goal of ensuring regional stability, this framing painted the country not as an aggressor but as a force acting out of necessity to protect its citizens and maintain security. This narrative shift mirrored strategic alliances and global perspectives, subtly redirecting public perception from one of condemnation to understanding or support for Israel’s actions.
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“Foi um massacre. A gente estava numa festa, curtindo, e primeiro começaram as bombas. Depois, eles começaram a vir de paraquedas, motos, e chegaram atirando em todo mundo. Não importava se tinha pessoas de outras nacionalidades, idosos, crianças, (…) e eles sequestrando… pic.twitter.com/cMKnuJgxpf
— GloboNews (@GloboNews) October 12, 2023
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration has been vocal in condemning Israel’s military actions in Gaza. In May 2024, Brazil withdrew its ambassador from Israel, signalling strong disapproval of the Israeli crimes in Gaza. President Lula compared Israel’s offensive to the Holocaust, a statement that drew both domestic and international reactions.
An analysis by Intervozes of Jornal Nacional and Jornal da Record’s coverage of President Lula’s statements on the genocide in Gaza highlights a tendency in Brazilian media to prioritise voices critical of Lula. This editorial approach emphasizes the diplomatic crisis and shifts the focus away from the core conflict and its humanitarian implications.
On 19 March, Jornal Nacional dedicated nearly 15 minutes of its broadcast to the controversy surrounding President Lula’s remarks. Eight sources were featured, commenting on Lula’s statements and the responses from Israel and the Brazilian government. Of these, six strongly criticised Lula’s position, while only one—Vice President Geraldo Alckmin—attempted to contextualise Lula’s stance and Brazil’s position on the conflict. The only other differing voice came from Mauro Vieira, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who announced the recall of the Brazilian ambassador.
Jornal da Record provided extensive coverage of sources criticising Lula’s speech, emphasizing that his statement “was praised by Hamas” and contributed to a “serious diplomatic crisis”. Ten sources were interviewed, either directly or through social media posts. Among them, only two—First Lady, Janja, and Vice President, Geraldo Alckmin—provided a deeper exploration of Lula’s and Brazil’s stance on the ongoing humanitarian crisis. One source labelled Lula’s statement as anti-Semitic, while another claimed that Palestinians are suffering “because of Hamas, not Israel”.
Lula’s comparison of the situation in Gaza to Hitler’s actions received extensive coverage, with a primary focus on potential diplomatic repercussions rather than the humanitarian crises highlighted in his statement. This editorial choice by the media reinforces narratives that fail to capture the complexity of the Gaza genocide.
A Confederação Israelita do Brasil se manifestou por meio de nota após Lula declarar, nesta segunda (13), que “Israel também está cometendo vários atos de terrorismo”. A Conib afirmou que essa fala do presidente é “equivocada” e “perigosa”. Confira.
➡ Assista ao… pic.twitter.com/lIgI57xfMy
— GloboNews (@GloboNews) November 14, 2023
As the Gaza Genocide escalated and reports of civilian casualties and destruction in Gaza mounted, Brazilian media, including Globo, began to pivot away from narratives that supported Israel. Coverage increasingly spotlighted the suffering of the Palestinian people, highlighting stories of families displaced, hospitals overwhelmed and the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.
Headlines began to shift to phrases like “Tragédia humanitária em Gaza: Civis enfrentam bombardeios e escassez”, focusing on the toll of Israel’s military operations on innocent civilians. This change reflected a growing acknowledgment of the asymmetry in the aggression, with more emphasis placed on the voices and experiences of Gaza’s residents. By documenting these realities, the media started to challenge the initial framing of Israel’s actions as purely defensive, instead portraying them as contributing to a devastating humanitarian crisis.
In summary, Brazilian media coverage of the genocidal war in Gaza (2023–2025) has been influenced by domestic political dynamics, leading to varied narratives and public reactions. The Brazilian government’s strong stance against Israel’s actions, coupled with its vocal criticism, has played a significant role in shaping how the media approached the Gaza Genocide. This government position has contributed to a more sympathetic portrayal of the Palestinian cause in many outlets.
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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.