Engineering Victory: How Hamas Orchestrated the Release of Female Prisoners

For decades, Hollywood has filled our minds with tales of Western heroes, often portrayed as saviors of humanity in the face of alien invasions or battles against villains—be they communists, Nazis, or others. These cinematic heroes endure bitter struggles, oscillating between triumph and defeat, only to prevail in the end, thanks to resilience and unwavering resolve. The grand finale is always meticulously crafted to leave a lasting impression.

In Hollywood, such scenarios unfold according to carefully scripted plans, leaving no room for deviation. Any departure from the script risks ruining the climactic ending. Yet, in contrast to these cinematic spectacles, real-life heroism often appears simpler and more grounded.

One such real-life scene played out in Gaza during the early hours of a ceasefire declared by the Palestinian resistance and its people. The sight, while deeply rooted in reality, carried an unmistakable epic quality. Fighters from the Al-Qassam Brigades, clad in their iconic green uniforms, emerged fully armed, looking immaculate and composed as if heading to a grand celebration. These fighters spread across Gaza with remarkable precision and organization, accompanied by pristine white SUVs, creating a scene that seemed almost cinematic.

This display followed 470 days of relentless warfare, during which Israel employed every conceivable method to subdue Gaza’s population and its resistance. The spectacle was clearly designed by Hamas and the Palestinian resistance to convey subtle yet powerful messages—particularly to Israelis. These messages underscored the resilience and strength of the fighters after prolonged combat, the unwavering support of Gaza’s people despite Israel’s brutal attempts to erode their solidarity, and the efficiency of the resistance’s organizational capabilities, meticulously managing even the smallest details.

Planning and Attention to Detail: Hallmarks of Hamas’ Strategy

Hamas, and specifically its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, has always been distinguished by its meticulous attention to detail. This stems from a recognition that the conflict with Israeli occupation is not only about major objectives but also about narratives, perceptions, and even the smallest details. These details, conveyed through images, videos, and carefully crafted messages, often target Israeli fears, instincts, and internal divisions. This reflects a profound understanding by the Palestinians of their adversary’s psyche and motivations.

Looking back, numerous examples highlight this focus on detail, not only in media portrayals but also in resistance operations. For instance, the final touches on the Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023, coincided with Israel’s internal turmoil. The country was grappling with political divisions over judicial reforms proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which had sparked widespread dissent.

These internal disturbances served as a form of “background noise” that distracted Israeli intelligence and security forces from Hamas’ plans and movements.

Before the operation, Hamas had invested heavily in building a vast underground tunnel network, enabling surprise attacks and concealing preparations. These facilities played a crucial role, not only during the Al-Aqsa Flood operation but also in subsequent urban battles within Gaza. Over months of warfare, the resistance demonstrated an exceptional ability to exploit the battlefield’s complexities, despite the stark disparity in capabilities. Such success could only result from long-term, meticulous planning.

Michael Knights, a fellow at the Washington Institute, noted that Hamas had spent 15 years constructing a deeply entrenched defensive infrastructure, combining underground and above-ground fortifications. This included potential minefields, improvised explosive devices, anti-armor mines, and booby-trapped buildings. Hamas further complicated Israel’s operations by capturing Israeli prisoners, which created internal divisions within Israeli society over their fate.

War as an Extension of Politics

From the outset, Hamas recognized that Israel’s response to the Al-Aqsa Flood would be fierce. The resistance prepared to endure and extract maximum political advantage, even amid the harshest war in its history.

In this context, Hamas and its sympathizers achieved significant gains on several fronts. They succeeded in isolating Israel internationally and garnering grassroots sympathy, particularly among younger Western demographics. These younger generations, poised to become major voting blocs in their countries in the coming years, may influence future reductions in unconditional Western support for Israel, transforming public sentiment into electoral decisions.

Additionally, the Al-Aqsa Flood operation reignited global discussions on the Palestinian cause, bringing it back to the forefront of Arab and international discourse.

Each day of resistance in Gaza stripped away Israel’s facade, exposing the suffering of Palestinians and the justice of their cause. As Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, observed, Hamas views victory not as a short-term goal but as part of decades-long struggle aimed at strengthening Palestinian solidarity and isolating Israel.

Echoing the Prussian theorist Carl von Clausewitz, who described war as a continuation of politics by other means, Hamas leveraged the overwhelming force directed against Gaza to turn it against Israel. The resistance capitalized on Israeli leadership’s confusion and lack of a coherent strategy, compelling them to act within a framework dictated by the resistance.

Despite its technological and military superiority and unconditional Western support, Israel found itself maneuvering within a battlefield designed and dictated by the Palestinian resistance. The conflict resembled a chess game, with Hamas forcing Israel into moves it had no choice but to make.

The culmination of this effort was Israel’s reluctant acceptance of a ceasefire and a prisoner exchange deal after months of rejecting the very same proposal. This agreement, labeled a “surrender deal” by some Israeli ministers, triggered political turmoil, including the resignation of far-right minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and his party from the government. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called the agreement “catastrophic.”

Hamas’ Messages

Hamas’ strength lies in its calculated, step-by-step approach, treating even the smallest details with the same importance as major strategies. This enabled the group to achieve a degree of balance—and even relative superiority—against Israel’s overwhelming military power.

The scenes following the Gaza ceasefire should be viewed as an extension of Hamas’ strategy. The resistance sought to demonstrate to Israel that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s earlier declarations about destroying Hamas and eliminating its military capabilities were unfounded. The swift reestablishment of Hamas’ control over Gaza, with fighters appearing organized and undeterred, sent a clear message: the resistance was prepared for an even longer war if necessary.

This display of strength shattered any Israeli claims of victory and further eroded Israeli morale. The warm reception of Hamas fighters by Gaza’s residents refuted Western media narratives suggesting that Gazans blamed the resistance for Israel’s bombardment. It also nullified attempts to sow discord between Hamas and its popular base in Gaza.

The unified image of Gaza conveyed another message to Israel: the Al-Qassam Brigades’ human resources are resilient, replenishable, and even expandable, debunking Israeli assumptions that eliminating a large number of fighters would weaken the resistance. Furthermore, Hamas’ organizational efficiency indicated that it had successfully restructured its leadership despite Israel’s targeted assassinations of key figures like Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar.

The Final Scene: A Political Victory

The release of female prisoners crowned Hamas’ political messaging with a scene of victory. The three Israeli women were presented in pristine condition, dressed neatly, with carefully braided hair and calm expressions—a stark contrast to the 15 months they spent in captivity under bombardment and siege. Al-Qassam fighters even handed them gifts, including maps of Gaza, release certificates, and photos from their time in captivity.

This carefully staged scene demonstrated that the prisoners had been treated with the utmost care, in accordance with Islamic principles. It stood in sharp contrast to the image of freed Palestinian prisoner Khalida Jarrar, who appeared visibly exhausted and disoriented after her release from Israeli detention.

This comparison alone highlights the moral and ethical disparity between the two sides, offering the world a clear distinction for those willing to reflect.