A series of new analyzes by U.S. intelligence agencies have warned that Hamas’s credibility and influence have grown dramatically in the two months since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack and the start of Israel’s military response in the Middle East and elsewhere.
While Israel’s relentless air campaign has killed thousands of civilians inside Gaza, Hamas – which is designated a terrorist group by the United States and Europe – has managed to portray itself as the armed group fighting alone against a brutal oppressor who kills women and children. .
Officials familiar with the different analyzes say the group has successfully positioned itself in some parts of the Arab and Muslim world as a defender of the Palestinian cause and an effective fighter against Israel.
Hamas’ growing influence comes in the wake of its horrific attack on Israel in October, which killed around 1,200 men, women and children. The US firmly defended Israel’s right to defend itself after the attack, including its campaign to fully eliminate Hamas.
From Hamas’ perspective, the October 7 attack on southern Israel was a stunning operational success. And in the months since, he has been credited — especially in the occupied West Bank — with negotiating the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel in exchange for some of the hostages the group has held since the attack, these sources say.
However, Hamas propaganda videos that portray the group as highly moral fighters who follow the teachings of Islam – despite the horrific details of the October 7 attack and descriptions of sexual violence against Israeli women reported by eyewitnesses of that day – along with with a flood of devastating images of the suffering of people in Gaza, they went viral on Arab social media.
Before October 7, a high-ranking administration official said: “Hamas [não era] an extremely popular organization. Today it is more popular.”
It is possible that the conflict will do more to increase Hamas’s influence outside Gaza than inside it, where years of mismanagement have bred mistrust.
A poll conducted during the first week of November found that strong support for the October 7 attacks was much higher among Palestinians in the West Bank than in Gaza – 68% compared to 47%.
Although conducting surveys is a challenge during war, as many Gazans were displaced from their homes by Israeli bombings, this conclusion has been echoed by other surveys.
The various assessments have circulated within the US government as Biden administration officials have begun to publicly warn that the number of civilians killed in Israeli bombings risks further increasing Hamas’ popularity in the Palestinian territories and as analysts warn that the bombing could serve only to inspire more terrorism there and abroad.
PHOTOS: See images of the conflict between Israel and Hamas
Source: CNN Brasil
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