Hamas used the prisoner-captive exchange deal as a spectacle to assert its control over the Gaza Strip, sending a clear message that “Israel” is powerless to stop it, a The Wall Street Journal report on Friday highlighted.
The WSJ wrote that the pattern began two weeks ago when the first Israeli captives were released as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Armed Hamas soldiers released captives on Thursday in front of the rubble of martyr Yahya al-Sinwar’s house.
According to The Wall Street Journal report, this time, the captives faced difficulties exiting Hamas vehicles as crowds gathered again to receive and photograph them. The Red Cross vehicles were not present, leaving the captives to navigate through the crowds with their armed militants providing protection.
Regional analysts say Hamas has turned each round of captive releases in Gaza into a more complex event, using it as a display of power to humiliate the Israeli occupation.
According to the report, “Israel” responded angrily to the spectacle, announcing it would not release 110 Palestinian detainees as agreed in the deal. However, mediators, including the US envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff, quickly intervened to ensure the agreement remained intact. Ultimately, “Israel” released the detainees.
With its military operations paused and troops positioned on Gaza’s outskirts, “Israel” has little ability to stop Hamas from turning captive releases into public displays. That said, Hugh Lovatt, a senior fellow at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that Hamas aims to “demonstrate its strength and prestige in Gaza.”
