• Gabriel Levin, Raanan Meyer, and Yoav Brezinov.
• Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
• Isr Med Assoc J. 2023 Dec 1; 25 (12): 795796795-796.

BackgroundThe Gaza-Israeli conflict poses challenges for unbiased reporting due to its complexity and media bias. We explored recent scientific publications to understand scholarly discourse and potential biases surrounding this longstanding geopolitical issue.ObjectivesTo conduct a descriptive bibliometric analysis of PubMed articles regarding the recent Gaza-Israeli conflict.MethodsWe reviewed 1628 publications using keywords and medical subject headings (MeSH) terms related to Gaza, Hamas, and Israel. We focused on articles written in English. A team of researchers assessed inclusion criteria, resolving disagreements through a third researcher.ResultsAmong 37 publications, Lancet, BMJ, and Nature were prominent journals. Authors from 12 countries contributed, with variety of publication types (46% correspondence, 32% news). Pro-Gaza perspectives dominated (43.2%), surpassing pro-Israel (21.6%) and neutral (35.1%) viewpoints. Pro-Gaza articles exhibited higher Altmetric scores, indicating increased social media impact. Pro-Israel publications were predominantly authored by Israelis.ConclusionsThe prevalence of pro-Gaza perspectives underscores challenges in maintaining impartiality. Higher social media impact for pro-Gaza publications emphasizes the need for nuanced examination. Addressing bias is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of this complex conflict and promoting balanced reporting.

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