When Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, released its propaganda video of three Israeli hostages being released Sunday night, there was a striking detail.
As Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari got into a Red Cross SUV in Gaza City, a Hamas militant handed each of them a paper bag with the Qassam Brigades’ logo on it – a “gift bag,” of sorts.
The masked militant then held up a certificate that, in Hebrew and Arabic, read “release decision.”
Each of the three women was carrying the bag in footage released later Sunday by the Israel Defense Forces – albeit this time with the Qassam’ Brigades logo blurred.
The three women formerly held hostage by Hamas are transferred from the Red Cross to the Israeli military in Gaza on January 19. – Israel Defense Forces
A representative of Gonen’s family told CNN on Monday that the bag she received held the certificate, a necklace and photos – and said that Israel’s Internal Security Agency (the Shin Bet) had confiscated the materials.
They would not go into detail about the photo, but Israeli media reports that the photos depicted the women’s time in captivity.
During the handover, a Red Cross representative was asked to sign an Arabic-language document. “Acknowledgment of Receipt of Israeli Prisoners,” the document read. “I, the representative of the International Red Cross, acknowledge that I have received from the Izz Eddin al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, a total of three prisoners, who are…” and then the names of the hostages.
A militant presents a “handover certificate” to the Red Cross, as seen in a Hamas video. – Hamas
The Red Cross staff member signs a Hamas document as they take custody of three Israeli women formerly held hostage. – Hamas
After 471 days in forced captivity, the idea that a hostage would receive a gift bag is undoubtedly bizarre.
At its core is an attempt by Hamas to present itself as an undefeated, serious governing body. Fifteen months after staging its audacious, devastating attack on Israel in October 2023, Hamas knew this would be a big moment for the militant group.
The message was clear, to Israelis, to Gazans, and to those watching around the world: We are a legitimate governing body, still in charge, who have serious and legal protocols – even if they pertain to Israeli civilians taken by force from their homes.
It was on display, too, in Gaza City’s Al Saraya Junction. A row of Qassam militants lined the street – a message to the Israeli public, whose government has pledged to destroy the group.
The gathering of a few dozen militants in Gaza City is hardly proof of a serious military threat.
But the images will fuel both the extremist right-wing in Israel, who believe the ceasefire is a capitulation, and those who favor dialogue, who will argue that if 15 months of unrelenting war failed to dislodge Hamas, further bloodshed is folly.
Militants from Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, escort a Red Cross vehicle to collect Israeli hostages in Gaza City on Sunday. – Abed Hajjar/AP
Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Saar, admitted on Sunday that Israel “hadn’t met the objective” of dismantling Hamas’ military and government. “We had an advancement,” he said.
The Israeli military and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the families, declined to comment on the video.
Meanwhile, the US secretary of state, Antony Blinken, warned that Israel was far from meeting its goal.
“We assess that Hamas has recruited almost as many new militants as it has lost. That is a recipe for an enduring insurgency and perpetual war,” Blinken said recently.
Abeer Salman and Mostafa Salem contributed to this report.
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