Amid the violent incidents on Israeli ground this past Saturday, various distressing videos surfaced on social media, reportedly shared by Hamas militants.
The clips depicted harrowing scenes of civilians harmed at public locations, older adults transported using motorcycles, and distressed women and children being forcefully moved to vehicles.
Echoing the dark undertones of media released by extremist groups like ISIS years ago, these videos show captives from both Israeli and foreign backgrounds being transported to Gaza.
Reflecting on this, Seth Frantzman, a correspondent for The Jerusalem Post and an expert on Middle Eastern matters, commented on the striking similarity between these visuals and the modus operandi of ISIS, particularly in Sinjar, Iraq, where women were explicitly targeted. “These videos reveal a grim side of Hamas, drawing parallels to the horrific acts of ISIS, exhibiting a clear violation of human rights,” Frantzman expressed.
Following the attack, reports highlighted the loss of approximately 600 lives – a mix of civilians and military personnel. The aggression was marked by hundreds of Hamas militants penetrating Israeli borders, damaging Israeli settlements. Concurrently, rockets numbering over 4,000 were launched into Israel from Gaza, resulting in massive evacuations from areas near the strip.
With several unaccounted-for Israelis, local media channels share heart-wrenching stories of families searching for their loved ones, fearing they might now be in Gaza. Frantzman further compared Hamas’s recent tactics and the heinous crimes committed by ISIS in Iraq, especially in Sinjar.
Highlighting a similar sentiment, Amir Avivi, CEO of the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF), stated that the only significant difference between ISIS and Hamas lies in their geographic focus. Lisa Daftari, from The Foreign Desk, pointed out the modernized approach of terror outfits in leveraging technology to amplify their acts, a trend initiated by ISIS.
Daftari also speculated on the orchestration of the recent attack, suggesting Iran’s involvement via proxies. “The upgraded and coordinated tactics are aimed at one ultimate goal: to eliminate Israel,” she explained.
Supporting this view, Frantzman indicated that the recent events fit into a broader pattern of regional extremism that targets and subjugates women from minority communities. He emphasized that this extremist wave is not limited to one group but is a more general issue that needs immediate attention.
