US-Israeli Sagui Dekel-Chen and Russian-Israeli Sasha (Alexander) Troufanov, hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, are escorted by Palestinian Hamas terrorists and Islamic Jihad terrorists as part of a ceasefire and a hostages-prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, February 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Ramadan Abed

If you’re like me and following each hostage release in Gaza, it’s hard not to be taken aback by Hamas’ elaborate propaganda spectacles.

In late January, when Hamas released three female hostages, Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari, who had been imprisoned for nearly 500 days, they forcibly paraded each hostage on stage, and gave them “gift bags,” framed certificates, and “prisoner release forms,” in a twisted act of propaganda. Crowds of jeering men and women gathered en masse to humiliate each woman as they were released.

Earlier this month, Hamas released three male Israeli hostages, Eli Sharabi, Ohad Ben Ami, and and Or Levy, frail and emaciated (invoking memories of the Holocaust), forcing them to recite pre-written lines on stage while donning Palestinian flags and Hamas logos in a sick spectacle. This Saturday, it happened again. Hamas released three more hostages, Dekel-Chen, Sasha Troufanov, and Iair Horn, who were forced to hold up hourglasses on stage with the inscription “time is running out.”

The purpose of these elaborate spectacles is clear. Hamas is trying to send the message to the world that it is still in control, that it has not been defeated, and that it still poses an existential threat to the State of Israel. Each of these shocking displays of psychological warfare is intended to deeply disturb the viewer and paint a picture of Hamas’ supposed victory and sustained capabilities in the Gaza Strip. 

When fighting, Hamas fighters don Adidas tracksuits. Whenever a ceasefire is announced, Hamas fighters scurry out of tunnels and exchange their civilian clothing for military uniforms. And when there’s a camera on them, they’re suddenly sporting full Hamas garb and claiming victory over Israel. The world must understand, however, that Hamas’s attempted shows of force are nothing but smoke and mirrors. 

In the last 500 days of fighting, the IDF has made significant progress toward weakening Hamas and other Iran-backed proxy terror groups.

Hamas has been largely isolated for the moment, and had many of its battalions destroyed. Today, the organization still operates as a ragtag insurgent group, hiding in tunnels and conducting guerrilla warfare attacks, but lacks real capabilities to inflict damage on the State of Israel. That could change in the future, but as of now, Hamas is much less powerful than it was on October 6, 2023.

In addition, Iran’s other proxy-terror groups have been weakened. Hezbollah has been eviscerated. Yemen’s Houthis have been bombarded by American, Israeli, and British airstrikes, and the Iranian regime itself is in a moment of unprecedented weakness. Hamas’ only remaining leverage is the fact that it is brutally holding dozens of hostages in underground tunnels.

Hamas’ theatrics are provocative and jarring, but they are not representative of the group’s true capabilities. Hamas has not achieved victory over Israel. Once the terror group has released every hostage they are holding, they will have nothing left to bargain with.

The moderate Arab nations have signaled a willingness to advance a post-war Gaza that sidelines Hamas in favor of moderate governance, while US President Donald Trump pushes a far-fetched plan for the US to “own” Gaza. Now is the time for Israel to focus on ensuring the safe release of every last hostage from Gaza. After they’re free, the focus must shift to ensuring Hamas retains no control over Gaza whatsoever post-war, ensuring a better future for both Israelis and Palestinians who are willing to reject terrorism and focus on a better life for their children and community.

Nathaniel Miller is a student at Tulane University, where he has served as the president of Tulane AIPAC as well as a CAMERA fellow and Tulane Hullabaloo editor.