“The Shadow and the Mouse”: Representations of Yahya Sinwar in the Israeli media

This study conducts an ideological content analysis of the representations of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in Israeli media during the “Iron Swords” war, commencing after the October 7, 2023, massacre. Sinwar evolved from a militant leader into a mythologized national obsession, personifying the enemy for the Israeli public. Analyzing news, commentary, and satire, this article identifies three dominant archetypes used to construct his image: the Barbarian/Messianic Zealot, the Shadow, and the Mouse. Interpreted through the lenses of Barthesian myth, Orientalism, and Jungian psychology, these representations appear as potent ideological constructs rather than neutral descriptions. The “Barbarian” established a moral binary between civilized Israel and a monstrous “other,” while the “Shadow” personified the elusive, subterranean threat of the tunnels. Most critically, the “Mouse” trope served to dehumanize Sinwar, utilizing a disturbing inversion of historical anti-Semitic rhetoric to frame him as vermin requiring extermination. The study concludes that these myths fulfilled essential social functions during profound trauma: simplifying complex realities, justifying aggressive military action, and forging national unity. Ultimately, the media reinforced the dominant national mindset, mythologizing the enemy in a manner that aligned with the emotional needs of a society in crisis.