After the release of four Israeli hostages by Hamas and 200 Palestinian prisoners by Israel on Saturday January 25, the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip held and the agreement must be implemented again next week. Before being handed over to the Red Cross, the four young soldiers, aged 19 and 20, were shown by Hamas to the crowd in Gaza, on a stage and surrounded by armed men. The communications war did not stop and the image shocked many in Israel.
Business owners and residents hung yellow balloons all over the city of Tel Aviv to celebrate the return of four of their own. “We are so happy that they are with us again, we waited too long for them to come homeconfides Brit, in one of the parks facing the sea. But her joy was spoiled by the Hamas staging. “I don’t like seeing these images.”
“It’s a way for them to make us believe that they are strong.”
Brit, a resident of Tel Avivat franceinfo
“There are so many weapons around them, these Hamas people trying to reach us, continues Brit. In a sense, they succeeded. But these four young women are incredible, and no matter how many fighters with so many weapons there might be around them, they are strong and back home, that’s what matters.”
Not impressed, Ennon is almost the same age as those who were released. He just finished the army. “Hamas are clownswhispers the young man. They put this scene there, what do they want to show ? I don’t like what they’re doing. All these soldiers on the scene, it’s not appropriate.” The fighters’ outfits and the large canvas covered with anti-Israel messages behind the hostages are a way of hiding the ruins of the Palestinian enclave, according to Uriya, a young reservist. “It’s not very surprising, this propaganda, he explains. Since it started, Hamas has always tried to appear more powerful than it is when everything is destroyed in Gaza and they are no longer in a position of strength.
-The images show that Hamas is in any case far from having disappeared, contrary to the warlike commitments of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “I don’t think it’s feasible or possible to completely eradicate Hamasestimates Shahar, in his fifties.
“They made this scene, addressed to their people or whatever. The main thing is that the soldiers are back.”
Shahar, a resident of Tel Avivat franceinfo
“There will be a new production next Saturday, that’s all,” he sweeps away. Behind the show of force are the negotiations and negotiations to keep the ceasefire in force. The armed group has given guarantees to release other hostages next week.
