What it is about

Recently released Israeli hostages, Emily Damari and Romi Gonen, spoke about the psychological tactics Hamas employed during their captivity. Forced to partake in coerced ceremonies where they received and posed with so-called “completion certificates,” the ordeal emphasized the manipulative methods employed by Hamas.

Why it matters

This highlights the ongoing challenges faced by Israel in countering Hamas’s multifaceted strategies, which extend beyond physical captivity to include severe psychological manipulation designed to impact the captives’ lives even after their release.

The big picture

These incidents draw attention to Hamas’s violation of humanitarian protocols and underscore the complexity of the conflict Israel faces with an organization that employs psychological tactics as part of its warfare methodology.

What’s next

International bodies, including the Red Cross, which was complicit via its role in signing these documents under duress, must examine their responsibilities and the potential need for revised safeguarding roles in conflict zones to prevent further exploitation by terror groups such as Hamas.

This story was first published on jpost.com.