Hamas often sees them as a way to prolong negotiations, weaken Israeli society and extract greater concessions.
By Hezy Laing
Hundreds of major demonstrations have been held by Israeli supporters of a fast hostage deal, at any cost, to get back Israeli hostages held by Hamas.
While demonstrators believe this is helping the hostages, they may actually be having the adverse effect.
Hamas often interprets these protests not as signs of solidarity, but as evidence of internal division within Israeli society.
Rather than feeling pressured to release hostages, Hamas sees the public unrest—especially scenes of Israelis clashing with police or blocking roads—as proof that holding hostages is working to harm Israeli society.
From Hamas’s perspective, the public unrest reveals internal division and desperation—signals that Hamas can exploit to strengthen its negotiating position.
Scenes of mass protests, blocked highways, and clashes with police suggest that Israeli society is under pressure and that the government is losing control of the narrative.
This perception can embolden Hamas to hold out longer, believing that the longer the hostages remain in captivity, the more leverage they gain.
In addition, there is a risk of being perceived by Hamas as weak—especially if they signal political instability or public desperation.
This perception encourages Hamas to dig in further, believing that the hostage issue is weakening Israel’s resolve.
A weaker Israel is an invitation for its enemies to attack it.
The protests can shift focus away from Hamas—the actual captor—and place blame on the Israeli government.
This internal blame game, while understandable from grieving families, may weaken Israel’s diplomatic stance and complicate negotiations.
When the hostage issue becomes politicized—folded into broader calls for elections or leadership change—it risks turning a humanitarian crisis into a partisan battleground.
Hamas support for Israeli demonstrations can be seen in its propaganda.
For example, in a recent Hamas video featuring hostages Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Alon Ohel, one of them pleads:
“Please protest. Demand the government bring us home. We’ll die here.”
This Hamas message in favor of demonstrations was clearly designed to amplify public pressure on Israeli leaders and deepen the emotional impact of the demonstrations.
Israeli officials have condemned this psychological warfare, and human rights groups have called them inhumane and manipulative.
The demonstration can also increase the price Hamas demands for the hostages.
The more Israelis demand the hostages – the greater their worth and the more the Hamas can demand for their return.
The logic is rooted in basic negotiation psychology: when Hamas sees hundreds of thousands of Israelis protesting, blocking roads, and publicly pressuring their own government, it interprets this as desperation—and desperation, in any negotiation, drives up the cost.
The demonstrations may also encourage more hostage takings – as Hamas sees that Israel is willing to pay a huge price for their return.
So while the protests reflect genuine public concern and moral urgency, Hamas sees them as leverage—a way to prolong negotiations, divide Israelis and extract greater concessions.
