Hamas' Pyrrhic "Victory"

i.e. Shameful Defeat

A cease fire between Israel and Gaza just began, and already Hamas thugs are slouching out of their hiding holes, their faces covered, proclaiming glorious victory. And this is why the Palestinian people lose more and more each time they attack Israel. Whether one reads media aimed at the West that reframes Gazans as innocent victims, or the Arab press reframing them as triumphant warriors, Gazan leaders seem incapable of introspection, accepting responsibility for their actions, or making corrective logical steps moving forward.

Hamas-friendly reporters must have studied George Orwell’s 1984 Ministry of Truth techniques. When they don’t like reality, they simply retroactively change the facts and expect that the public will blindly absorb it. In an astonishing act of chutzpah, they claim that Hamas has achieved a brilliant victory. When Hamas and their cronies attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, their goal was to trigger Israel’s destruction with the support of Iran, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. Instead, Israel has decimated their forces and greatly reduced their power. In addition, because of Hamas’ actions, tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed, and a huge part of Gazan’s infrastructure has been destroyed. Yet Hamas claims that they have triumphed because 90 Palestinian criminals have been released from Israeli prison to date, with the total of approximately 1800 planned by stage 3. The Hamas Health Ministry claims that over 46,600 Gazans have been killed since the war began. So if their statistics are true, 25 Palestinians have died for every Palestinian prisoner to be released. Instead of concluding that attacking Israel was a bad idea, they crow that the “resistance” has triumphed once again and will continue to do so. The Three Stooges of Terror, Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, succeed only in further screwing things up.

Articles in the Arab version of Al-jezeera are sickening:

1/20/25 Victory through Steadfastness

Analysts point out that the Battle of “Al-Aqsa Flood” and the Israeli aggression and its results are understood in the context of the stages of the extended and long conflict with Israel, and the indicators of victory and defeat are calculated in it by steadfastness, defiance, continuity, and thwarting the declared and implicit goals of the Israeli occupier, despite the painful sacrifices and losses, which were the most painful in the history of the conflict due to extreme Israeli brutality.

The people of Gaza have paid a heavy price for more than 14 months of resistance to Israeli agendas, ambitions and projects that used all tools of killing and destruction, all kinds of violations and massacres, and attempts at genocide, but they thwarted all projects and agendas with their extreme steadfastness.

Therefore, the joy of the people of Gaza over the ceasefire deal in an unequal battle is deserved, because they extracted it through their sacrifices and steadfastness from the jaws of a brutal and unbridled military force, led by a right-wing bloc with vengeful religious Zionist agendas, and amidst a long international silence that was unable to stop the massacre.

The reappearance of the resistance in the streets of Gaza, united with the masses - tired and happy - was a final expressive image of this steadfastness, undermining the slogan of "absolute victory" launched by Benjamin Netanyahu, and turning it into "absolute defeat", as appears in the Israeli analyses themselves.

Gaza's steadfastness was also linked to the resistance strategy based on long-term armed struggle, changing and diversifying military tactics, and involving the Israeli army in a long, ongoing and costly war, which appeared in the battles in northern Gaza days before the ceasefire.

The Palestinian resistance also benefited from the support fronts, from Lebanon to Yemen and Iraq, in its steadfastness, which led to the dispersion of the Israeli forces and the destruction of the Israeli deterrence equations, and thus Israel was forced to enter into a ceasefire and exchange deal, in an agreement that the Israelis describe as "painful" for them.

Israel's acquiescence to the ceasefire deal - which Netanyahu had previously rejected - indicates that it has practically lost control of the war, and that Hamas and the resistance were following a clear strategy that enabled them to withstand militarily and maneuver through their dealings with the prisoner crisis, the complex negotiations, and Israeli intransigence and various pressures.

With the effects of the steadfastness and victory of the Gazans over the Israeli killing machine, siege, starvation, cutting off the means of life, assassinations and abuse, the Palestinian resistance achieved its promise (and goal) of concluding an exchange deal to free prisoners from Israeli prisons, while Israel failed to free its prisoners in Gaza through military pressure without an exchange deal. The Al-Aqsa Intifada and the Israeli war on Gaza - with its events and results - were a pivotal moment in the region and the region, and led to changes that put Israel in a war on multiple fronts, shaking its security theory and the element of stability of its entity, and in which the steadfastness of Gaza wrote the final word, and in some way nullified the effects of what Netanyahu sees as a victory in Lebanon against Hezbollah, and his bets on building a new Middle East.

Gaza, through its steadfastness, has also brought the Palestinian cause back to the forefront of global issues as an international political issue, and has gained broad international public opinion, both official and popular, while the moral downfall of Israel, its army and its leaders has led to greater international isolation, and the image it has long promoted has been torn apart. The greatest achievement remains that the ceasefire agreement, imposed by the resistance and then international variables, has stopped the genocide practiced by Israel against the Palestinian people in Gaza, who fought until the last moment, while the repercussions of the next day are growing within the exhausted and disintegrated Israeli society, after the theory of absolute victory has fallen.”

How absolutely disgusting to celebrate yourself as victorious heroes when you have not only disgraced yourself by torturing, raping and murdering innocent people dancing at a music festival, but also condemned your own people by subsequently running and hiding among them. How horrible to equate Israeli hostages, including toddlers and the elderly, to the terrorist prisoners that Israel has been forced to release.

Brave heroes don’t hide their faces. And people with more than an iota of intelligence do not pour out of tunnels, celebrating a fake victory, giving Israel, with their advanced technology, a chance to identify who the terrorists really are, despite their masked faces. This is only phase one of a cease fire. Hamas has violated enough cease fires to make this one meaningless. Despite complaints that Israel has starved Gaza, Hamas terrorists appear markedly healthy and robust. Heroes do not steal food while their people go hungry.

Al Jezeera admits that this “victory” was staged.

January 20, 2025

“Hollywood has always filled our heads with stories about Western heroes; in one story we see one of them saving the world from an alien invasion, and in another, we see the hero’s bravery and supernatural abilities in the face of the attacks of the villains (communists, Nazis, or others), which almost destroyed the world had it not been for the presence of the white savior. This hero always faces a bitter struggle, during which he oscillates between victory and defeat, and steadfastness is the key to his victory in the end, which leads to an impressive closing scene that Hollywood is skilled at directing.

This happens in films according to a pre-determined and calculated scenario on paper, and it is not acceptable in any way for the crew to deviate from its basic lines, as this would spoil the climax of the finale. But in contrast to this cinematic image, which is woven and wrapped in propaganda, the scenes of real heroism on the ground are often simpler and more realistic.

One of those scenes is undoubtedly what we saw in the Gaza Strip, in the first hours of the ceasefire by the Palestinian resistance and its people in Gaza. It is a scene that, despite its realism, was not without a clear epic. The fighters of the Kassam Brigades came out in full military gear, wearing their famous green uniforms, clean, tidy and bright, as if they were heading to a festival or celebration. These fighters quickly spread throughout Gaza with great skill, precision and organization, and with them appeared bright white four-wheel drive vehicles.

Considering that all of this happened right after 470 days of genocide in which Israel did not hesitate to use any method to subjugate the people of Gaza and its resistance, the scene seems entirely cinematic. In fact, it is clear that Hamas and the Palestinian resistance deliberately showed it in this way to send implicit messages to the world and more specifically to the Israelis: messages about the strength and resilience of its fighters after this round of prolonged fighting, about the extent of the Gazan people’s support for it despite Israel’s insistence on abusing them to force them to abandon the resistance, and finally about the vitality and efficiency of its organization, which managed the scene with great skill and attention to the smallest and most minute details.”

Do the Gazan people who lost family members, houses, hospitals, and schools really see these charlatans as brave heroes?

For months, Israelis were called liars for stating that Hamas had carefully built tunnels, hid weapons under Gazan infrastructure, and manipulated social media and public opinion. Now, Hamas openly brags about this. They even boast that they deliberately attacked Israel as provocatively as possible on October 7 with a plan to cause death and destruction in Gaza, like a strategy in a chess game.

“Indeed, attention to detail has always been a hallmark of Hamas, and at its core its military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. This is due to its understanding that the conflict with the Israeli occupation, as well as a conflict over larger goals and issues, is also a conflict over narrative, storytelling, and even small details. These details, which appear in photos, videos, messages, and more, are often able to address Israeli fears and instincts and play on their divisions, reflecting a “disturbing” understanding by Palestinians of the nature of their adversary and its basic motivations and drivers.

If we go back in time, we can find many examples of this attention to detail, not only in the scenes and media messages, but in the organization of the resistance action itself. For example, the final touches that the resistance put on Operation Flood of Al-aqsa on October 7, 2023, at a time when Israel was struggling internally against the backdrop of long-standing political tensions and divisions, due to a set of legislation pushed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as part of his “judicial reform” plan, which was widely rejected by many Israelis.

This internal unrest provided a kind of “background noise,” distracting Israeli intelligence and security services from Hamas’s intentions and movements.

This was preceded by Hamas’s investment in tunnel infrastructure by creating a wide network of underground passages, enabling it to launch surprise attacks. These facilities certainly helped conceal preparations and enhance the element of surprise, whether during the Al-Aqsa Flood attack or in the urban battles that followed inside the Strip.

The resistance’s ability to exploit the battlefield environment and its complexities in the best possible way became clear during the months of war, despite the difference in capabilities between the two sides. This is something that can only be achieved through precise, long-term preparation, according to what Michael Knights, a fellow at the Washington Institute, explains, noting that Hamas has prepared a deep defense over the course of 15 years that combines underground and above-ground fortifications, in addition to preparing potential minefields, improvised explosive devices, anti-tank mines, and booby-trapped buildings. It also succeeded in further complicating the operational environment after detaining Israeli prisoners, which led to division within Israel over the fate of these prisoners throughout the duration of the war.”

Real heroes don’t hide their faces.

“In addition to the operational aspect, the Palestinian resistance realized from the first day that the occupation would respond fiercely to the Al-Aqsa Flood attack, and prepared to stand up to it without forgetting to achieve the greatest possible political benefit for its cause even as it fought the most ferocious war in its history.

In this regard, the resistance and its sympathizers abroad have been able to achieve accomplishments on several fronts, including success in creating a fence of international isolation around Israel, and gaining popular sympathy, especially among younger groups in the West, which will constitute the largest electoral bloc in their countries in the coming years, and it is likely that they will play a role in limiting unconditional Western support for the occupying state in the future if this popular sympathy turns into an electoral decision that guides the voter’s decision…The impact of the flood can also be observed in returning the Palestinian issue to the forefront of Arab and international discussions….

Despite Israel having the upper hand in terms of technology, weapons and unconditional Western support, it was ultimately moving on a board that the Palestinian resistance had created and designed itself. It was as if what was taking place was a game of chess between two opponents, during which one of them was able to direct the other towards forced moves and push him to move as he wanted.”

SO PLEASE NOTE, THOSE OF YOU WHO ACCUSE ISRAEL OF WAR CRIMES- HAMAS TAKES FULL RESPONSIBILITY! THEY BRAG THAT EVERYTHING HAPPENED JUST THE WAY THEY WANTED, AND EVERYTHING ISRAEL DID WAS BECAUSE HAMAS MANIPULATED ISRAEL LIKE CHESS PIECES! So I assume all accusations of war crimes will be withdrawn from Israelis and placed on Hamas leaders.

On the other hand, the English version of Al Jezeera portrays Gazans as innocent, helpless victims.

https://www.aljazeera.com/program/inside-story/2025/1/19/what-does-the-resilience-of-gazas-people-tell-the-world

After listening to an aljezeera.com documentary on the resilience of the Gazan people, one would never know that Hamas attacked Israel on October 7. In fact, the speakers have the chutzpah to claim the opposite of the so-called brilliant chess strategy boasted by the Arabic version of Al Jezeera. This version claims that Israel deliberately initiated a plan to commit genocide against Gazans starting on October 7, without ever mentioning the vicious attack on Israel. The reporters never state the obvious, that the war could have ended at any time if Gazans released the hostages and appointing a government other than Hamas. A listener would conclude that it had been Israel who attacked Gaza on October 7 because they wanted to raze it for new Israeli construction and tourism. In the English press, they claim to want a two state solution, while in the Arab press, they brag that they will eradicate Israel.

Meanwhile, a Turkish news site, Andolu Ajansi, assumes that the public has the memory of a gnat and only remembers the latest shiny factoid.

“Finally, the prisoners’ release crowned Hamas’s political messages in the victory scene. The three Israeli female prisoners appeared in the best possible condition, with clean clothes, carefully tied braids, and reassured faces that did not suggest at all that they had spent 15 full months in captivity under the pressure of bombing, siege, and starvation. Not to mention the gifts that the Qassam men distributed to them, which included a map of the Gaza Strip, a release certificate, and commemorative photos from their captivity.

This scene indicates that the female prisoners received the best possible treatment under the available circumstances, just as the pure Islamic Sharia commands. This image is in complete contrast to the image of the Palestinian prisoner released from the occupation’s prisons, Khalida Jarrar, as she appeared clearly dazed and exhausted, in need of someone to hold her hand and support her as she walked. This comparison is enough to demonstrate to the world the human and moral difference between the two parties, for anyone who wants to pay attention or consider.”

Are they kidding? Are they not aware of all the videos that Hamas released showing severely underfed and unhealthy hostages begging to be released? Of the accounts of freed hostages having been kept underground in almost-airless tunnels, deprived of food and health care, being sexually assaulted, being forced in stress positions for hours? Clearly, Hamas realized that their propaganda backfired, and are ensuring that any hostages they release now look as if they spent their imprisonment in summer camp.

The relevance of 1984 to the Gazan War is amazing. The book’s protagonist. Winston Smith, worked for the Office of Information to remove all traces of true information to reflect current falsehoods. Had he worked for Al Jezeera, he would have edited out the atrocities committed on October 7 and changed Hamas’ stated goal as not to eradicate Israel but merely to exist so they could claim a false victory. He would have encouraged “doublethink,” believing two opposing views at the same time: Israel responded to October 7 disproportionately, but also exactly as Hamas wanted them to. Gazans are innocent victims, but also heroic, strategic warriors. He would have changed the parameters for success and hoped that everyone forgot what was said previously.

A healthy society adapts to its situation instead of repeating the same harmful patterns. Hamas claiming victory is like a bully who attacks another child on the playground, then after getting soundly defeated instead, claims that he won the fight because he didn’t die. This is why Gazans are doing so poorly. Their leaders are unable to thoughtfully assess the situation, determine what what wrong, and make positive changes. They should have learned by now that it is senseless to attack Israel; the only solution is sincere, permanent peace. Israel would gladly share their technological expertise with friendly people who supported Israel’s right to exist. Instead, Hamas leaders choose the same maladaptive pattern every time. For every 1 step forward, they take 5 steps backwards toward oblivion. The Palestinian “resistance” is resistance to common sense only.