THE BATTLE FOR REALITY: INFORMATION WARFARE AS THE DEFINING FRONT OF THE CONFLICT AFTER OCTOBER 7, 2023

Abstract

The article is devoted to the analysis of the information war that unfolded in the global media space around the conflict between Israel and Hamas after the events of October 7, 2023. The purpose of the study is to identify the main tools and methods used by the parties to construct conflicting realities and dominate the digital environment. Based on the analysis of materials from international media (Reuters, The Guardian, BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, The Economist), the work explores opposing narratives (the "war of civilization on terror" against the "struggle for liberation from occupation"), strategies for using visual content, mechanisms for spreading disinformation and coordinated campaigns on social networks (astroturfing, manipulation of hashtags). The methodology includes a comparative analysis of discourse and a case study of key incidents. It is concluded that in the conflicts of the 21st century, the struggle for control over narrative and information space acquires strategic importance, determining international legitimacy and shaping historical memory, while traditional media face a crisis of trust and turn out to be both targets and participants in the confrontation.