Hamas Releases Propaganda Document on Second Anniversary of Gaza War

On the second anniversary of the current Gaza conflict, Hamas has published a propaganda document attempting to reshape public perception of the October 7, 2023 attacks and subsequent war. The document, titled “Al Aqsa Flood: Two Years of Steadfastness and the Will to Be Liberated,” seeks to position Hamas as the unified voice of the Palestinian people while advancing narratives that contradict established facts.

This publication updates a similar document released approximately two years ago and frames Hamas’s actions as legitimate resistance against what it characterizes as an Israeli colonial project dating back to 1948.

The eight-chapter document begins by praising Gaza’s population for their resilience while portraying Israel’s military campaign as part of an ongoing colonial effort that Hamas claims is destined to collapse. This framing ignores Hamas’s designation as a terrorist organization and its explicit calls for the destruction of Israel, a sovereign state with international recognition and established diplomatic relations.

In explaining the October 7 attacks, Hamas attributes its actions to several factors, including alleged Israeli displacement policies, the failure of the Oslo Accords, the rise of what it terms the “far right” in Israel, claimed actions at religious sites like Al Aqsa Mosque, and the blockade of Gaza. The organization also cites the condition of Palestinian prisoners and what it considers international community failures.

Perhaps most controversially, Hamas describes the October 7 attack on Israeli communities as a legitimate act of resistance and a “historic crossing day.” The document claims these actions were supported by all Palestinians—a claim directly contradicted by evidence that Salafi factions in Gaza and other Palestinian groups opposed the attack.

Hamas devotes significant space to denying documented atrocities committed during the October 7 attacks. The organization claims it did not commit rape or murder women and children, insisting such allegations contradict Islamic and Palestinian values. These denials stand in stark contrast to evidence from Hamas operatives’ own body cameras showing the murder of civilians including infants, women, and the elderly. The organization also kidnapped numerous civilians to Gaza while filming these abductions.

In discussing the ongoing conflict, Hamas accuses Israel of ethnic cleansing while presenting casualty figures that make no distinction between civilians and combatants. These Hamas-provided statistics lack independent verification and often contain contradictory information.

The document portrays Hamas as cooperating with international ceasefire initiatives while claiming numerous achievements, including placing the Palestinian issue in the global spotlight, isolating Israel internationally, damaging Israel’s democratic image, and strengthening the Palestinian narrative worldwide.

Hamas insists it cannot be isolated, claiming democratic legitimacy from elections held in 2006. This assertion overlooks the fact that Hamas has not permitted elections since then and has suppressed opposition through documented cases of repression, torture, and executions.

The document concludes by outlining Hamas’s vision for the future, including a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, reconstruction efforts, prisoner releases, and the removal of the blockade. It calls for reorganization of Palestinian factions under the PLO while strengthening ties with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey.

Security analysts note that this document represents a propaganda effort rather than factual reporting. The narrative Hamas attempts to establish contradicts documented evidence of its targeting of civilians, use of human shields, and exploitation of civilian infrastructure like schools and hospitals for military purposes—actions consistent with terrorist organizations rather than liberation movements.

Regional experts point out that Hamas does not represent all Palestinians, despite its claims. Its suppression of opposition voices and denial of freedom of expression highlight the disconnect between the organization’s propaganda and the complex reality of Palestinian politics and society.