Israel shows videos of Hamas cruelty to Gazans

It “preys on the population” to maintain its power, wrote COGAT head Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian.

By Batya Jerenberg, World Israel News

Israel’s Defense Ministry released on Monday videos of Hamas’ cruelty to its own citizens in an effort to again highlight the evil of the enemy the IDF has been fighting since the terror organization invaded Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, massacred 1,200 people and took 251 hostage.

In a caption over the 57-second compilation, the head of COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories), Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, posted to X: “Hamas embodies the essence of evil.”

In the English-language message directed at the international community, he continued, “The shocking footage illustrates how Hamas oppresses the population, abuses civilians, and uses unrestrained violence against people in order to maintain its bloody rule and consolidate its power.”

“Hamas once again proves that it does not represent the residents of Gaza,” he added. “It rules over them with force, fear and cruelty.”

The graphic videos, circulating on social media over the last several days, were labeled on the COGAT post with a warning that they contain “age-restricted adult content.”

Before the compilation begins, another warning states: “The video contains scenes of extreme violence.”

Men can be seen being beaten with rods and guns are fired next to them while they stand or kneel handcuffed in dark alleyways and streets.

They scream in pain and fear, and one man lies on the ground with blood on his shirt.

In a second message, this one aimed at the local population, Alian said the brutality was directed at those suspected of “violating public order,” and that Hamas itself distributed the videos to serve its own ends.

“The horror shows to spread evil and the brutality of Hamas are a tool to sow fear and harm the residents of Gaza, in order to preserve the power and survival of the terrorist organization,” the IDF officer said.

“Residents of Gaza, the savage and blatant abuse of the terrorist organization Hamas is trampling and destroying your lives,” he warned.

Alian also noted that the abuse took place “across the Strip.”

Taken together, this seems to indicate that although Israeli forces now control about 75% of the coastal enclave, Hamas has yet to lose its iron grip on the population.

In November, the IDF also released videos of Hamas brutality against its own citizens, after finding during searches in Gaza recordings of suspects being tortured in past years while being interrogated in prison.