WSJ: What Hamas is really trying to achieve with its macabre hostage releases

After 15 months of war, Israel claims to have killed approximately 10,000 Hamas terrorists and much of the group’s leadership, including Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7, 2023, attack. Yet, as the first phase of a fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire nears its end, the militant group is leveraging carefully choreographed hostage releases to assert its enduring control over Gaza and deliver a psychological blow to its adversary, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of video footage and expert insights.

Under the ceasefire terms, Hamas has freed small groups of the roughly 250 hostages it seized from Israel over a six-week period. What Israel calls “humiliating ceremonies,” Hamas has turned into theatrical displays of defiance. In one January 25 release, four women were escorted onto a stage adorned with the seal of Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, forced to smile and deliver staged remarks—some saying “Shukran” (Arabic for “thank you”) to their captors. By February 15, the spectacle escalated: in Khan Yunis, outside Sinwar’s obliterated home, freed hostages stood beneath a towering poster of the slain leader gazing through a shattered wall—a symbolic nod to his legacy. Another handover featured the coffins of four dead hostages, including a mother and her two young children, displayed alongside a banner caricaturing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a vampire, blaming him for their deaths amid anti-Israel chants.

“Hamas is trying to maximize influence through symbolic messaging,” said a security analyst who reviewed the footage for the Journal. “They’re demonstrating physical capability across Gaza, showing they’re still in command.” The locations—spanning the Strip from north to south—underscore this intent, countering Israel’s narrative of a decimated foe.

The releases have grown more elaborate over time. Early handovers used tight camera angles to exaggerate crowd sizes, masking their sparsity revealed by wider lenses. Props abound: certificates, stamped release papers, even “goodie bags” handed to hostages, evoking a perverse bureaucracy. “Hamas wants to act like a state,” the analyst noted, tying the staging to its goal of Palestinian statehood. In exchange, Israel has freed hundreds of Palestinian detainees—part of Sinwar’s original plan to trade captives for prisoners—further amplifying Hamas’s narrative of resilience.

For Israelis, the scenes sting. “These ceremonies have been shocking,” said an Israeli official, speaking anonymously due to the sensitivity of ongoing talks. “The coffins, the chants—it’s humiliating.” The public outcry has intensified pressure on Netanyahu’s government, a dynamic Hamas exploits with Hebrew signs taunting specific army units or the prime minister directly. “It’s for the Israeli public, to make them push harder for the hostages,” the analyst added. “But it’s also a global show of force.”

Analysts see a dual audience. Locally, Hamas aims to rally Palestinians, projecting strength after months of bombardment. Internationally, the displays—televised worldwide—could recruit sympathizers or bolster support, offering “asymmetric leverage” as hostage numbers dwindle. Yet, this spectacle risks backfiring. “It’s a violation of human dignity, enshrined in international humanitarian law,” said a legal expert, pointing to the staged speeches and macabre props. “The goodie bags were seen as particularly distasteful.”

Israel has countered with its own symbolism, issuing released Palestinian prisoners T-shirts emblazoned with “We neither forget nor forgive.” The move drew domestic criticism—some called it stooping to Hamas’s level—but reflects the broader psychological tit-for-tat. “Both sides want to prove they’re stronger,” the Israeli official said.

As negotiations loom for the ceasefire’s next phase, the stakes remain high. Hamas’s messaging persists, undeterred by Israel’s battlefield gains, while families of 24 Israelis still held captive watch in anguish.

WSJ contributed to this article.