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Hamas has impressive control over every aspect of Gaza, from local media to hospitals and schools. It will galvanize all of this to help portray this as a victory for the group.
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN JANUARY 19, 2025 15:46
Palestinians and Hamas terrorists celebrate in Khan Younis
(photo credit: REUTERS/Mohammed Salem TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)
Hamas appears to be emerging from tunnels and rubble in Gaza to show that it never lost control of most of the area despite fifteen months of war. While Hamas suffered many blows from the Israel Defense Forces, it was able to recruit new members, and it even kept trucks and vans ready to return to the streets and show its presence.
Videos purported to be from Gaza show the group in white pickup trucks driving around. The videos show large groups of armed men waving to crowds or standing and sitting on vehicles that are parading them through the streets. Hamas police, which are an arm of the terrorist group, are also re-appearing. They have been around throughout the war, but their presence has not been as clear in some areas.
Throughout the war, some NGOs and other international organization officials complained that the lack of Hamas police, or their being targeted by the IDF, was leading to a breakdown in law and order. In essence, many groups linked to the international community that work in Gaza prefer working with Hamas and its police.
Palestinian media, such as Quds, has shown images and videos from Gaza, depicting this as a Hamas victory. They portray the videos as showing “Palestinian factions,” and not just Hamas. They also show civilians celebrating alongside the gunmen.
Shehab media, which is linked to Hamas, also has put out videos showing the “victory” they claim in Gaza. One shows masses of Hamas gunmen in a stylized video, clearly produced for this moment, with the men appearing to emerge from a kind of tunnel.
Another image Shehab put out shows October 7 with Hamas pulling a wounded Israeli soldier out of a tank that Hamas destroyed and contrasts it with Hamas holding aloft rifles on top of white trucks in Gaza, declaring victory.
Many other local and international media outlets and activists are showing images of Gaza. This includes Al-Jazeera and also local Gazans.
The videos may be meant for propaganda in some cases, but the overall message is clear. Hamas has emerged from tunnels in Gaza and from the rubble in some areas and is clearly in control. The group never disappeared and was never dismantled.
Back in March 2024, The Washington Post reported that “the IDF says it has ‘dismantled’ 20 of the original 24 Hamas battalions. Dismantled does not mean destroyed.” Indeed, dismantled did not mean destroyed. Hamas has re-emerged quickly. This is not a group that seems to have suffered nearly as many losses as depicted, or it has been able to replace most of the losses and maintain command and control.
History repeating itself
This is not surprising; Hamas has done the same thing after other rounds of fighting. Hamas emerged in the late 1980s, mostly in Gaza. It continued to gain support in the 1990s, opposing the Oslo peace deal. After the Second Intifada, it emerged stronger despite losing many of its leaders to Israeli airstrikes.
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Hamas then took over Gaza in 2007 after winning the Palestinian elections. It then went on to re-emerge after the 2009 and 2014 war. In May 2021, a brief conflict with Israel once again showed how Hamas is often underestimated by Israel. At the time, the IDF was portrayed as having an impressive track record of striking Hamas tunnels.
One report claimed that Israel had “pulverized” Hamas’ underground “metro” of tunnels. Another report at Israel HaYom said that Israel had destroyed 100km of Hamas tunnels and eliminated 25 “top” operatives. Hamas actually emerged unscathed from this conflict.
Hamas is emerging in Gaza quickly to take control and showcase its abilities. It wants to portray this as a major victory, even if it suffered many losses. It doesn’t want any vacuum to emerge or any areas to emerge where it loses control.
As the IDF withdraws, Hamas wants to enter quickly. It doesn’t want anyone in Gaza to get the idea that Hamas is weak or to have room to critique the group. Hamas will mobilize masses to come out and cheer. Then, it will try to exploit this. Hamas will want to begin to tackle reconstruction and invite the media to try to showcase the destruction.
Each step of the way will be choreographed by Hamas’ media machine. Hamas has impressive control over every aspect of Gaza, from local media to hospitals and schools. It will galvanize all of this to help portray this as a victory for the group.
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