Abstract: The study investigates the challenges faced by Palestinian journalists in covering the Israeli war on Gaza (2023-2024) and examines the methodology used by journalists in utilising social media networks to follow the developments of the events and verify the accuracy and credibility of news amidst the massive flow of information and the spread of misleading news. It also tracks the effectiveness of these platforms in enriching investigative journalism content. The study adopts a qualitative approach to address the research problem, using interviews and case studies. Interviews with a purposive sample of 11 journalists from local and international media institutions provided a comprehensive perspective on the role of social media networks and open-source tools in covering the war and verifying the news promoted by the Israeli narrative. The study’s findings revealed that social media networks and open-source tools are essential in the news gathering and verification process, especially amidst the professional challenges and physical risks faced by journalists due to the unprecedented war that subjected the Palestinian people to genocide. However, the effectiveness of social media also brought new challenges, as it became a source of misleading news. The study showed that journalists relied on social media posts, including videos, photos and testimonies from field sources (local activists, eyewitnesses, etc.) in preparing investigative reports to verify the narratives of the parties to the war, especially those promoted by the Israeli military. Keywords: Investigative Journalism, Social Media Networks, Media Coverage, Israel, Gaza on war.
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