Hamas’s “show of strength” during the hostage transfer to the Red Cross was an optical media manipulation. A zoomed-out image of the actual crowd harassing the hostages being transferred to the Red Cross vehicles shows how weak Hamas really is.
On Sunday morning, hundreds of Gaza residents gathered at the designated meeting point for the transfer of the three Israeli hostages. Red Cross vehicles were already stationed at the site, prepared for the transfer to commence under the ceasefire plan.
Earlier on Sunday morning, Hamas terrorists, in shiny new uniforms, took to the streets in a show of force after 8:30 AM, aiming to send a strong message to both the Gazan public and Israel, asserting the group’s continued presence in the region. Meanwhile, the IDF responded with heavy artillery, tank fire, and airstrikes, citing Hamas’s non-compliance with the ceasefire agreement and its refusal to provide the required names for the transfer process.
The entire production, including Hamas’s lingering delays in submitting the names of the hostages to be released, as well as the staging of the crowd scene when the release was taking place, was an effort on the part of Hamas to claim its dominion over the Gaza Strip.
Former IDF Spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel (Res.) Peter Lerner picked on the production, tweeting:
“I was asked several times today about the optics of Hamas’s obvious strength. Here’s the real optics: a few hundred people crammed together to make it look like endless masses. Today the images from the ground were orchestrated by Hamas, they wanted to project power, and everything they show is manipulation.
I was asked several times today about the optics of Hamas’ obvious strength.
Here’s the real optics:
A few hundred people crammed together to make it look like endless masses.
Today the images from the ground were orchestrated by Hamas, they wanted to project power, everything… pic.twitter.com/PDCeIw3zW7— Lt. Col. (R) Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) January 19, 2025
Kan 11 reporter Nurit Yohanan tweeted: In addition to a video released by Hamas members, the group allowed multiple media outlets to access the delivery point and broadcast live coverage.
Conveniently, an Al Jazeera reporter was able to approach the vehicle from which the kidnapped women emerged and documented their transfer to Red Cross vehicles.
חוץ מסרטון שעוד יצא וצולם על ידי אנשי חמאס: חמאס אפשר להרבה ערוצים להגיע לנקודת המסירה ולשדר בלייב. כתב אל-ג’זירה הגיע עד פתח הרכב שממנו יצאו החטופות ותיעד את יציאתם לרכבי הצלב האדום pic.twitter.com/I0qG7XfVbx
— Nurit Yohanan (@nurityohanan) January 19, 2025
Israeli media showed Hamas’s faked crowd images, thus serving Hamas’s propaganda aims, and helping to promote a fake perception of the terrorists’ defeat. Here’s a screenshot from News12:
But, an Arab social media outlet, perhaps imagining these images showed how strong Hamas is, actually exposed the orchestrated Pallywood bluff and how the media images manipulated the optics to make Hamas and the crowd look stronger and bigger than they actually were.
Over the next few weeks, we can expect to see more manipulated images like these from Hamas.
