After invading Ukraine in February of 2022, the Russo-Ukrainian War was the front page of every newspaper. However, since Hamas’ surprise attack on Israel in October of 2023, it seems to be phasing out of the conversation.
CNN provided the most content about the Russo-Ukrainian war, with 8% of its television coverage being about it. After Hamas’ attack, it plummeted to less than 1%. The news that does get sent out mainly only focuses on America’s spending on it, but not the actual state of the war. Social media attention has been reduced greatly, as ComScore reports a drop in attention on the conflict. Why? For one, the war in Gaza is fresh and new. Mass media is particularly interested in the most current events, and slowly ends up phasing out anything “old.” Also, the Middle East has a network of tensions between nations, so there’s lots of worry that one smaller-scale outbreak may lead to a much larger one. Similarly, the attack sparked outcry amongst members of the Jewish faith, largely due to its similar effects to the Holocaust. After hostages were taken and the outpour of anti-Semitic comments online became front and center, synagogues and Jewish communities took to protesting.
However, as the world watched the traumatic unfolding of both wars, it’s crucial to recognize both conflicts and not compare either to the other. Since the Russian invasion, there have been 61,207 Ukrainian soldiers killed and 49,368 wounded and 5,937 Russian soldiers killed. In the Middle East, 44,786 Palestinians and 1,706 Israelis have been killed. To create lasting peace on both sides, our actions and awareness are pivotal.
