Roundup: Hamas’s usage of Social Media

The attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7th highlighted the evolving nature of military conflicts and their visibility on social media. Alongside numerous online campaigns during the Russia-Ukraine war, this particular conflict has captured significant attention on social media platforms. There is a growing interest in the roles of Hamas, Israel, and other involved parties, further fueled by recent campus protests that have drawn global attention to the Israel-Palestine situation. This report by WNM examines how Hamas has been leveraging social media to bolster its regional and international support online.

The internet, and social media in particular, plays a crucial role in disseminating narratives and agendas globally. This is also true for terrorist and extremist agendas. Along with groups like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, which have emphasized the use of internet technologies for recruitment and message dissemination, Hamas has also been active in utilizing social media for its objectives. One of the earliest instances of Hamas’s online activities is the creation of AqsaTube, a platform similar to YouTube, which was used to distribute videos from extremist groups and promote their agendas with a particular focus on Palestinian militant content.

Screenshot of meta data of the videos uploaded to the platform by Hamas in 2008 retrieved with Wayback Machine

The platform sparked controversy and underwent intense scrutiny, ultimately leading to its shutdown by authorities who identified its content as promoting terrorism and inciting violence. From the screenshots that have been captured, it is evident that Hamas has utilized online media to propagate its narratives about conflicts, including praising martyrs and showcasing the tunnels, which align with the group’s current agendas.

One of the early Hamas-Israel Twitter interactions. Source: The Atlantic

After the closure of the AqsaTube website, Hamas attempted to utilize various social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to disseminate their videos and messages. These posts gained considerable traction lately, especially on Telegram, which became the group’s most popular—and likely the only direct—source of information after their accounts were suspended across other platforms. Despite these suspensions, Al-Qassam, Hamas’s military wing, has repeatedly declared its intent to use all available means to spread its messages.

Prior to leveraging online tools to enhance their media presence, Hamas operated traditional media outlets like Al Aqsa TV, targeting the Palestinian audience with broadcasts that included messages and TV programs designed to propagate their viewpoints.

The attack on October 7th marked a shift in Hamas’s media strategy, indicating a change in both the target audience and the content of their narratives. Previously focused on regional audiences, their goal has expanded to transmitting messages to the broader international public, adapting their narratives to engage and influence a global audience.

The continued efforts of the Al-Qassam Brigades to establish a presence on platforms like X into 2024 exemplify their growing traction in the digital space, surpassing even their notable online engagement back in 2016. During that year, the Al-Qassam Brigades highlighted the success of their social media efforts on Twitter, boasting a significant milestone of reaching a “quarter of a million” followers or views within just 30 days. This marked a key moment in their strategy to enhance their visibility and influence through online platforms.

Message from Al-Qassam’s Telegram channel from 2016 saying: “Follow and support.. the new #Qassam_Brigades account on Twitter after the main page was closed this evening, Tuesday, after the page’s posts reached more than a quarter of a million within 30 days..“

This message provides a basis for comparing the scale of online campaigns in 2016 with the levels of views and interactions seen in posts from 2024, particularly after the October 7th event, where views on their Telegram channel could reach up to 1 million per post. It’s noteworthy, however, that despite this peak in engagement, current postings generally receive significantly less attention, went down to average of 100,000 per post.

Due to ongoing blockings of Hamas’s resources, their situation is not improving. In response, the Al-Qassam Brigades developed an app to disseminate media news, attempting to bypass these access restrictions.

The news application was actively promoted on their Telegram channel. The promotion included a text that read: “Download now the trial version of the ‘Al-Qassam Notification’ application for Android devices, and stay updated with the news from the Martyr Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.”

The app replicates the same news feed found on the website and Telegram channel. Typically, the average number of views for the headlines hovers around 1,000, though it can reach up to 3,000 views per individual post.

Screenshots of the Al-Qassam’s android app with the media covering the group’s activity.

The app includes a variety of content such as military videos, details of Al-Qassam’s operations, and breaking news. It also provides links to Abu Ubaida’s Telegram channel and the English-language version of their website.

Social Media Strategies and Statements

In 2016, after another account suspension on Twitter, Al-Qassam, through spokesperson Abu Ubaida, issued a statement emphasizing Hamas’s resolve to continue spreading their message using numerous innovative methods. Abu Ubaida highlighted their commitment to “knock on every door and open every media window,” underlining their determination to maintain and even expand their media outreach, despite the restrictions imposed on their platforms.

In response to the closure of his Twitter page, the military spokesman for Al-Qassam, Abu Ubaida, in a special statement to the Al-Qassam website this Saturday morning: “The Twitter company has been subjected to pressure from the enemy, and this gives us the impression of the lack of impartiality and integrity of this company regarding the Palestinian issue, and that it adheres to political pressure and sides with the Zionist executioner against the Palestinian victim.” Abu Ubaida continued: “The other signal we received from the closure of Al-Qassam accounts is how painful our message is to the enemy and its henchmen and tools around the world, an indication of the influence of the free, honest, resistant voice that emerges from Palestine to resonate in the consciences of all the free people of the world.” He added: “We will deliver our message in many innovative ways, and we will insist on knocking on every door and opening every media window through which we can reach the minds and hearts of millions, whom the enemy and those who support him want to numb and keep away from the reality of the conflict in the blessed land of Palestine.”

Another message from Abu Ubaida found on Flickr emphasized the significant importance that Hamas places on extensive media coverage of their activities.

The text on the image says: “We call on the media to be careful not to circulate information from unknown sources, to be responsible, and to seek news related to the resistance from official sources”. This statement appears to have been made in response to Israeli announcements regarding the kidnapping and assassination of Al-Qassam’s leaders.

Indeed, Al-Qassam’s Telegram channel frequently updated its followers with a list of accounts where the group’s postings could be accessed, ensuring continuity in their message dissemination despite challenges on other platforms.

Message with the list of accounts having been used by Al-Qassam. It contains all the major social media and also includes services like SoundCloud, Tumblr and Flickr. Now, all the accounts have been closed

Although most of their social media accounts have been closed, Hamas has managed to maintain an active account on SlideShare (owned by Scribd). This account is utilized to expand their presence on various platforms and hosts nine documents, primarily magazines that commemorate the anniversaries of Hamas. The most recent document was uploaded a year ago.

Hamas’s account on SlideShare

Tags on the account include such as “Palestine”, “Agitation”, “Jerusalem”, “Al Aqsa”, “Prisoners”, etc.

It appears that Hamas has attempted to establish accounts across a variety of platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube, as well as separate accounts for their spokesperson, Abu Ubaida. However, all these accounts were blocked, leaving only their Telegram channel and website active. While they may also be present on some forums and other platforms, these efforts indicate a primary focus on disseminating their message rather than recruitment, unlike groups such as ISIS or Al-Qaeda. They do not seem to engage in discussions but rather post their narratives and messages directly.

There is also a significant emphasis on the strategic use of tunnels as a primary combat resource, with numerous posts highlighting the strength of these tunnels. This is intended both to intimidate their adversaries and to suggest that their enemies are reluctant to acknowledge the full extent of Hamas’s capabilities.

The Wayback Machine contains data from Hamas’s accounts spanning 2019 to 2020, before the accounts were suspended. The archived images from these accounts reveal the propaganda materials that Hamas used, including efforts to attract funding.

The Flickr account named “Resistance of Palestine” featured posters calling for funding the Al-Qassam Brigades, adorned with slogans such as “Support Resistance” and “Despite the pain, we are still in the covenant.”

The account also featured numerous pictures of youth training camps, in addition to posters and promotional materials.

Furthermore, Hamas even attempted to establish an account in Hebrew, indicating an effort to directly communicate with an Israeli audience.

One of the documents on the SlideShare account included a statement from the Student Council at Birzeit University, seemingly tied to Hamas.

The Chairman shared his opinion on the ways to expand the resistance agendas. The text calls to: “Work in an organized and professional manner with all media outlets in all its forms and methods to reach the largest possible segment of the Palestinian public and even the surrounding Arab and international public in order to strengthen the foundations of the Intifada with supportive public opinion. These means extend from traditional media to social networking sites <…> it is the easiest and fastest way to reach all segments of society in the appropriate manner and time, without any interference or bias.”

Conclusion

Over the years, Hamas has adeptly navigated the shifting sands of media technology to further its agenda, showcasing a remarkable adaptability to the global digital landscape. Despite facing numerous suspensions and blockades on mainstream social media platforms, Hamas and its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, have persistently found ways to maintain and even expand their online presence. The strategic use of various platforms—from traditional media like Al Aqsa TV to digital arenas such as Telegram and SlideShare—underscores their commitment to reaching both regional and international audiences.

This report has highlighted the evolution of Hamas’s media strategies, reflecting their increasing sophistication and the broadening of their target audience over time. Hamas’s strategic communication efforts clearly demonstrate their recognition of the critical role that media plays in shaping public perception and advancing their objectives. Their persistent adaptation to various media platforms, despite facing significant barriers and censorship, reflects a sophisticated understanding of the importance of maintaining direct communication with their audiences. By continuously evolving their media strategies and leveraging both new and traditional forms of media, Hamas has managed to not only sustain but also expand their influence, making social media a pivotal tool in their ongoing campaign.

As the digital world continues to evolve, so too does the landscape of conflict-related communication, posing ongoing challenges and opportunities for both state and non-state actors in the international arena. This dynamic underscores the critical need for ongoing monitoring and analysis of how militant groups leverage digital tools to influence public opinion and further their objectives.