Social media in the Arab world found itself in a tempest as outlets belonging to Al-Jazeera, mouthpiece of Hamas leaders’ haven Qatar, were caught red handed censoring Gazan contempt for Hamas.
Last week, Al-Jazeera Palestine, a tributary of Al-Jazeera, posted a video of a Gazan doctor who claimed he was injured in Nuseirat during Operation Arnon to rescue the four hostages, in which the doctor was seen crying and screaming about the casualties, saying: “it is true that we are steadfast;” but then the video suddenly cut, and the man was seen crying again.
However, in a longer uncut version of the video circulating online, the reason for the cutting and editing became clear. During his original speech, the man also said: “this rotten leadership will end up blaming us that we … it is true that we are steadfast, however our leadership are scum. Our leadership got used to this bloodshed, may Allah reckon with them! …swear to me that this video will reach the Palestinian leadership. This massacre at Nuseirat – we could have prevented it!”
It is unclear how the man meant for the so-called “massacre” to be prevented, and some speculated that he was referring to the fact that civilians from the area knew about the holding of Israeli hostages in their neighbors’ home.
Silencing Palestinians criticizing Hamas
In any case, this was not the only time Al-Jazeera attempted to censor or silence Gazan criticism of Hamas. In November, a viral video circulated of an elderly injured Gazan who was interviewed in a Gaza hospital by an Al-Jazeera reporter, saying: “and regarding the resistance (meaning: Hamas), they hide among the people. Why do they hide among the people?” The reporter could then be seen immediately cutting the interview and trying to end the broadcast, leaving the interviewee surprised and attempting to get back to his interview.
In December, another viral video showed an elderly woman interviewed by an Al-Jazeera correspondent, who tried to prompt her to admit that no aid is coming into Gaza. However, the elderly woman told him: “all aid goes down (underground to Hamas tunnels), and doesn’t reach the people.” When the reporter tried to further put words into her mouth and argue that “people say that only a little aid gets in and is distributed,” the elderly lady wagged her finger at the reporter with a bitter smile, adding: “It all goes to their houses. Let Hamas take me or shoot me…” and the reporter proceeded to dismiss her opinion and go back to the camera.
In this context, an Israeli courts quoted in its ruling regarding the activity of Al-Jazeera in Israel last week that evidence presented to them proved the “severe and worrying impact of the content broadcast on the channel… (which) were the motive and incentive for the action of terrorists within the state” and that “Al-Jazeera is perceived by the terrorist organization Hamas as its propaganda and intelligence arm.” Al-Jazeera’s reluctance to broadcast criticism for Hamas can perhaps be seen as part of this alliance between the Qatari mouthpiece and the terrorist group.
Social media and live broadcast as tools for criticism
Living under a totalitarian regime which suppresses freedom of expression, Gazans have been resorting to live broadcasts and sometimes social media as tools to introduce their criticism and contempt for Hamas, as traditional media in Gaza, especially those affiliated with Hamas and its allies apparently can’t bring themselves to broadcast such opinions.
In early November, as a Hamas interior ministry official was beginning to give his daily media update, a young man with an injury in his hand passed in the background of the frame shouting “may Allah reckon with you Hamas!”. Several threatening looking men were then seen following him, with his fate unknown.
Also in November, Hezbollah-affiliated channel Al-Mayadeen interviewed a Gazan girl asking what she wants to say about the so-called “resistance”, and the girl responded: “The resistance is under the tunnels and they leave the people alone.”
Likewise, a video of a family making their way from the northern part of the Gaza strip to the southern part on a horse-drawn carriage circulated on social media in November, showing one of the younger family members cursing at Hamas and blaming the terrorist organization for their evacuation.
Another video from May showed a Gazan man who cries and curses at Hamas and its leaders Yahya Sinwar and Ismail Haniyeh at the view of the loss of lives following a bombardment in the Gaza Strip. One of the posters of this video commented: “Gaza is the country of a million journalists.. and not one of them published this video.”
Notedly, some of these videos circulating on social media did make it to networks perceived as hostile to Hamas, such as Saudi ‘Al-Arabiya’ and others.
Despite these instances of brave criticism under Hamas’s oppressive regime, records show that reality is more complex and that many in Gaza still support the terrorist organization. A poll published recently by renowned Palestinian pollster Khalil Shikaki showed that some 46% of Gazans want the terror group to remain in power after the war, and that 57% of Gazans still support the October 7th attacks.
Shikaki also tied between Al-Jazeera’s skewed reports regarding Hamas – and trust for the terror group amongst Palestinians. According to a Times of Israel report, Shikaki explained the disparity between the Palestinians from the West Bank who want Hamas to remain in power after the war and those in Gaza (71% and 46% respectively), by explaining that, while Gazans can see for themselves the situation on the ground, 83% of West Bankers get their news updates from Al-Jazeera, and thus “seem to come to certain conclusions that are somewhat different than those in Gaza,” tacitly implying that Al-Jazeera’s reports may tend to be unrepresentative of reality.
