Unlike the disorganized hostage release in Gaza last weekend, today’s events unfolded with precise choreography by Hamas.
Four young women were escorted from vehicles by masked gunmen to a meticulously arranged stage. Moments earlier, a Red Cross official had signed documents alongside a Hamas fighter on this same platform.
The hostages wore lanyards around their necks holding laminated ID badges, mirroring those worn by the masked gunmen beside them, each seemingly bearing their own form of accreditation for the event.
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Nearby, a machine gun stood conspicuously beside the platform, which was equipped with desks, chairs, and flags—a deliberate display blending bureaucracy and firepower for the cameras.
With hundreds of Hamas fighters and Palestinian civilians watching, the four Israeli women were seen smiling, holding hands, and waving. What they were truly feeling in this intense and emotionally charged moment, as their 15-month ordeal neared its end, remains unknown.
Hamas, having provided the women with documents and bags of items to take with them, appeared intent on projecting a calculated image of both order and strength. The intended audience for this spectacle is likely both the Palestinian people, who may aspire to govern Gaza, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, who vowed to eliminate the group following the attacks of October 7.
For Israelis, the safe return of another four hostages brings immense relief. However, last week’s unceremonious release of the first three women sparked outrage. Today’s contrasting scenes may once again provoke anger—this time directed at the public display of the women in their final moments before gaining their freedom.
