Hamas’ Messaging Strategy Revealed
Recent intelligence analysis of internal documents from Hamas, recovered during the Gaza conflict, suggests that the group has directed its spokesmen to obscure its true ideology when addressing Western audiences. This approach sharply contrasts with the openly hostile rhetoric previously expressed by senior Hamas leaders towards Israel and Western Christians.
The findings, published by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (ITIC), involved a review of various texts and internal materials attributed to Hamas leaders. Central to this report is Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, a founding member and a prominent voice for Hamas, who identifies himself internally as the group’s “expert on Jewish affairs.”
Al-Zahar made explicit threats against then-President Donald Trump back in 2017, asserting that Hamas would close the U.S. embassy and expel Americans if it successfully liberated Palestine. He claimed the U.S. would suffer due to the worldwide spread of Islam and criticized American culture as violent and immoral, also accusing Washington of aligning with Jewish interests.
Before the outbreak of the Gaza war, al-Zahar openly articulated that the struggle against Israel was merely one phase in a larger religious conflict. He argued based on Islamic tradition that a future global Islamic order would eradicate both “Zionism” and what he referred to as “treacherous Christianity.” This aligns with Hamas’s original charter, which states that true “peace and tranquility” for Jews and Christians can only exist “under the wings of Islam,” frequently citing Islamic scriptures.
The report indicates that this rhetoric is part of a broader ideological framework intentionally kept from Western audiences. Research highlights that al-Zahar’s Arabic-language communications within Gaza freely promote classic anti-Semitic conspiracy theories and even justifications for past atrocities.
In stark contrast, Hamas hires its spokespeople to present a more sanitized narrative. Training materials obtained show directives to avoid topics like Jews, anti-Semitism, or the Holocaust when communicating with Westerners. Instead, they are encouraged to use terms such as “Zionist occupiers” to prevent alienation of potential supporters in the U.S. and Europe.
The report describes this tactic as a calculated effort to “cleanse” Hamas’s international reputation while holding onto its fundamental genocidal beliefs domestically. One internal Hamas official cautioned that references to anti-Semitic language or Nazi crimes could harm its image among Western audiences.
Al-Zahar’s 2020 book, titled Hatred of Jews – Historical Legacy, gives an unvarnished perspective of his views. The text portrays Jews as inherently malevolent and ties their historical suffering, including the Holocaust, to their own actions or character.
This troubling belief system is said to underpin Hamas’s violent acts, including the horrific terrorist attack on civilians in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which escalated the Gaza conflict.
The report emphasizes that Hamas’s narrative in English is more about marketing than any ideological shift. Its internal documents reveal beliefs rooted in Islamic extremism, anti-Semitism, and an anti-Western agenda. Earlier this year, another memo from Hamas, also analyzed by ITIC, revealed their growing concern about losing young fighters, indicating their efforts to keep Palestinians from leaving Gaza even as many seek a way out.
The documents portray Hamas as an obstacle to Gazans seeking improved living conditions, contrasting sharply with proposals from figures like President Trump, who suggested relocating them to more stable environments.
