WhatsApp As an Alternative Digital Media for Palestinians in Following Up the Israeli War on Gaza (2023-2025)

Authors

Keywords:

Digital Media, Alternative Media, Israeli War on Gaza, Al-Haqiqa First, Digital News Communities, WhatsApp

Abstract

This study aimed to explore patterns of the public's reliance on the “Al-Haqiqa First” WhatsApp news community during the Israeli war on Gaza (2023–2025), to reveal the levels of trust and communication satisfaction associated with it, and to identify the types of news content the public prefers to follow. The study adopted a descriptive analytical approach using the field survey method, and data were collected through an electronic questionnaire administered to all 928 members of the Al-Haqiqa First WhatsApp news community via a comprehensive enumeration approach. A total of 161 valid responses were received and included in the statistical analysis. The results showed a statistically significant correlation between awareness of the importance of the news community and the level of trust in the content it provides, confirming the pivotal role of trust in promoting reliance on digital news platforms during crises. The results also showed that human content related to the suffering of civilians and genocide came at the forefront of the public's cognitive priorities, followed by political and military content. The study also revealed a tendency for the public to circulate news and information within nearby social circles rather than share them through public digital platforms. The study confirms the growing role of digital news communities via instant messaging applications as an influential source of information during wars and crises.

Author Biographies

  • Abdallah Afif Musleh, Palestine Technical University - Kadoorie

    Dr. Abdallah A. Musleh is a Palestinian scholar and media professional specializing in television and film production, media education, and visual communication. He holds a PhD in Media Studies, where his research examined the function of visual language in supporting television drama through a semiotic analysis of Palestinian films. Over more than two decades, he has held key academic and administrative positions, including serving as Head of the Media Technology Department at Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie for over fifteen years.  he has been Advisor for International Cooperation Affairs at the Palestinian Network for Media Development. He also serves as Chair of the Preparatory Committee of the International Return Film Festival. Alongside his academic career, he has built an extensive professional portfolio as a filmmaker.

  • Mahmoud Khlouf, Arab American University

    Full-time Assistant Professor of Media and Communication Sciences at the Department of Arabic Language and Media, Faculty of Arts and Education, Arab American University-Palestine.

    He holds two PhDs in Media Studies and Communication and Media Sciences and has 4 published peer-reviewed books, in addition to 12 papers published in peer-reviewed scientific and international journals.

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Published

2026-07-10

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026): Vol. 1 No. 1 (2026)

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Articles

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Copyright (c) 2026 Abdallah Afif Musleh, Mahmoud Khlouf (Author)

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How to Cite

Musleh, A., & Khlouf, M. (2026). WhatsApp As an Alternative Digital Media for Palestinians in Following Up the Israeli War on Gaza (2023-2025). Journal of Intelligent Digital Media and Communication, 1(1), 33-51. https://journals.gdacademy.uk/index.php/JIDMC/article/view/5