By shaping dominant narratives within the discursive arena, the media actively construct the cognitive frameworks through which audiences interpret events. This study analyzes the discourse of Western media coverage of the 2023 Gaza War within the theoretical framework of Teun van Dijk’s ideological square, employing the method of critical discourse analysis. The central research question asks: What images of the actors involved and the nature of the conflict are constructed in the minds of global audiences through the strategies and patterns of Western media coverage? The main hypothesis posits that Western media, through selective sourcing practices and the discursive construction of a dichotomy between “us” (the West and Israel) and “the other” (the Palestinians and Hamas), have contributed to the reproduction of ideological dominance and the legitimization of Israel’s actions. The findings indicate that mainstream American media have played an active role in shaping public opinion by emphasizing Israel’s positive actions, highlighting its “right to self-defense,” demonizing Hamas, and marginalizing Palestinian narratives. Through selective representations of wartime events embedded within specific linguistic and conceptual frameworks, these media outlets have consistently employed particular news frames that portray Palestinian resistance in a negative or depoliticized manner.