'Raging desire for revenge': How does the Arab world remember October 7?

Key Points:

• Three years after Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel, Arab media coverage has predominantly highlighted Gaza's devastation while often omitting or minimizing the Israeli civilian deaths caused by the attack.
• Hamas continues to deny targeting civilians or committing sexual violence against hostages, despite UN findings and former hostages’ testimonies indicating such abuses occurred during the October 7 massacre.
• Arab state media outlets like Egypt’s Maspero and Jordan’s Al Ghad have framed the attack using Hamas’s terminology, focusing on Palestinian suffering and Israeli military actions, while downplaying Israeli civilian casualties and omitting references to related northern front conflicts.
• Some Arab media, including Saudi-owned Asharq Al-Awsat, acknowledge Israeli military successes and criticize Hamas leadership decisions, yet also accuse Israel of conducting disproportionate bombing campaigns in Gaza and allege genocidal intent.
• Overall, the anniversary coverage in Arab media tends to emphasize Palestinian victimhood and regional political narratives, with little expression of sympathy for Israeli victims or acknowledgment of the full scope of violence initiated by Hamas.