Hamas Operates Beyond Gaza as Part of Global Network, Expert Says

Understanding Hamas requires looking beyond Gaza’s borders, according to Dr. Nesya Shemer, a leading expert on Islamic studies and political Islam from Bar Ilan University’s Department of Middle Eastern Studies. In a recent interview, she explained how Hamas functions within a sophisticated global information warfare campaign that extends far beyond the Palestinian territory.

“Hamas is not just an organization of a few thousand fighters remaining in Gaza,” Shemer emphasized. “Hamas is part of a global Muslim Brotherhood movement, which has branches worldwide and is particularly well-organized in the West.”

Central to Hamas’s international influence, according to Shemer, is the Al Jazeera network, owned by Qatar—one of the major patrons of the Muslim Brotherhood. She described the Qatari media outlet as “a central factor in shaping Arab public opinion.”

Al Jazeera broadcasts in multiple languages including Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Chinese, and Bosnian/Serbian/Croatian, with an extensive digital presence across major social platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. The network also maintains AJ+, a channel specifically targeting younger audiences.

Hamas also receives significant religious backing from international Islamic organizations, most notably the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), founded by Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a Qatar-based cleric known for endorsing Hamas’s suicide bombing tactics. “Hundreds of thousands of Muslim religious figures from around the world are members of this organization,” Shemer noted, adding that these religious leaders maintain large social media followings numbering in the millions.

The core narrative propagated by Hamas, according to Shemer, centers on two claims: that Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza and forcing survivors into exile. This narrative has incorporated statements from international figures including former President Trump regarding establishing a “Riviera” in Gaza, as well as controversial statements from some Israeli officials about settlements in Gaza.

“Many don’t understand that in democracies, declarations are more like rhetorical battles and have no real effect on the policies on the ground,” Shemer explained. “In practice, neither decision-makers nor the majority of the Israeli public are fighting for these goals or are willing to use practices that violate international law—but are interested in defeating Hamas and removing it from any position of power.”

Shemer described how Al Jazeera strategically employs emotionally charged language and imagery, particularly focusing on affected mothers and children in Gaza, creating powerful reactions among Muslims globally. However, she noted that the network typically omits critical context about Hamas using civilians as human shields while its leaders remain in underground tunnels, or about the October 7 attacks and ongoing hostage situation.

Research has revealed significant knowledge gaps among global Muslim populations regarding basic facts about the conflict. “According to research, Muslims around the world barely know basic facts about the situation in Israel,” Shemer said. “Information reaches consciousness at the headline level, and sometimes not even that.”

To illustrate this point, she mentioned conversations where she asked Muslims worldwide if they knew who the Bibas family was—referring to a family taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 whose story received international attention. Most responded that they did not know. Shemer noted that even regarding the October 7 attacks, there is insufficient awareness, compounded by Hamas and Al Jazeera’s denials of harming civilians.

Despite Hamas’s narrative dominance, Shemer observed growing dissent within Gaza. She referenced a fatwa issued by Gaza religious figure Salman al-Diya, who argued that Hamas made a mistake launching the October 7 attack because they failed to foresee the consequences. “It should be noted that signs of resistance to Hamas do not necessarily mean a decline in support for armed struggle against Israel as a central tool for achieving Palestinian goals,” Shemer clarified. “This view is still consensual.”

She explained that when Israel took control of aid distribution from Hamas, it effectively undermined Hamas’s control over the population. Previously, Hamas would divert aid, store it, and sell it at exorbitant prices—a 25-kilogram bag of flour reportedly cost 3,000 shekels, far beyond what most Gazans could afford.

Regarding Israel’s current position in the global narrative, Shemer was candid: “Israel’s situation right now is not good in terms of narrative in the Arab world.” She advocated for Israel to establish a well-organized information apparatus capable of responding in real-time to accusations in global media, emphasizing the importance of engagement with Arab nations, including those with peace agreements with Israel.

Shemer warned that public pressure is mounting on regimes in countries that have normalized relations with Israel, potentially endangering diplomatic achievements like the Abraham Accords. However, she suggested that continued and expanded aid distribution by Israel could help improve perceptions, particularly if accompanied by the creation of protected compounds where civilians could receive food, medical care, and other necessities.