Hamas Is Terrorizing the People of Gaza
Al-Arab, London, July 13
At a time when our Palestinian people are enduring a horrific war in the Gaza Strip, a crisis that ravages everything in its path—destroying not just human life but also nature—the Hamas movement finds its own justification to engage in its usual tactics of suppression, censorship, and brutality, exemplified by its treatment of activist Amin Al-Abed. Hamas’ actions to silence Amin Al-Abed—an emblem of truth, life, and humanitarian aid—are apparent to everyone. Despite their efforts, his name and his image, now bearing the marks of brutal repression, are trending across search engines and social media platforms. The behavior of Hamas is a stark reminder of how disconnected the movement is from reality. They appear to be operating on an entirely different plane, seemingly indifferent to the daily carnage around them. When the occupation doesn’t inflict pain, Hamas steps in with unrestrained arrogance. The movement’s media outlets are quick to produce ready-made accusations to rationalize their unwarranted brutality. Television networks that share the same financial backers have turned a blind eye to the brutality inflicted on Amin Al-Abed, much as they did when 81-year-old activist Um Jabr Washah and her daughter were assaulted by Hamas security forces at Al-Bureij camp in Gaza. The Palestinian Prisoners Society condemned this attack on June 18, 2020, stating that such brutality could only be carried out by those devoid of humanity and patriotism, regardless of any justifications presented under the pretext of law enforcement. Furthermore, these stations remained conspicuously silent when Sheikh Mohammed Al-Sufi was killed in a Hamas prison during Ramadan last year. He was arrested upon returning from Egypt and tortured for his criticisms of Hamas’ policies and his denouncement of Iran in his sermons. Despite his cries for help and protests of illness, according to his son’s statements to local media, he died on the eve of Eid al-Fitr. This incident is a glaring example of a political crime that these media entities chose to ignore completely. One can only speculate on the outrage that would have ensued had such a crime occurred in areas controlled by the Palestinian National Authority. The underlying reason for Hamas’ relentless oppression, torture, and brutality against any form of dissent is their pervasive sense of insecurity and a futile attempt to project an image of control over the Gaza Strip. Despite their oppressive tactics, Hamas’ dominance persists amid the suffering and struggles of the Palestinian people. –Aws Abo Ata (translated by Asaf Zilberfarb)
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