Representation of Gaza War in Pakistani and British Newspapers Editorial Cartoons: A Semiotic Analysis

Abstract

This study aims to examine the representation of the Gaza war in Pakistani and British newspaper editorials through cartoons. Machin and Mayr (2012) multimodal analytical model has been applied for the analysis of cartoons. The data for this study is collected from English newspapers. The data source of this research included two Pakistani newspapers (The Dawn, The News International) and two British newspapers (The Telegraph, The Independent). The time period for the data collection is 3 weeks. The editorial cartoons have been selected by using the purposive sampling technique. The results of the study indicate that Pakistani and British newspaper editorial cartoons show significant differences in narrative focus and ideological alignment regarding the issue of the Gaza war. Pakistani cartoons highlight the victimization of Palestinians, criticize western support for Israel, and advocate Islamic and international solidarity against the policies of Israel. In contrast, British cartoons criticize political leadership and larger international issues through humor and satire. These findings reflect the political, cultural, and social background of each country, which influences the way the Gaza war is represented and perceived by the public. This study highlights the importance of cartoons and images in conveying specific ideas and perspectives, particularly in the context of the Gaza war.