A compilation of videotaped confessions by Hamas militants released this week by Israeli officials largely follows the same pattern. All of the men are seated and handcuffed as they recount — calmly and matter-of-factly — how they helped carry out the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel that killed more than 1,000 civilians, including women, children and the elderly.
The interviews, each filmed individually and compiled into a grim, 12-minute clip reel, were released by Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security service. They were part of a range of materials released by Israeli officials this week that appeared to be designed to remind the world of the savagery of the terrorist attacks.
One of their other apparent goals, according to experts, was to show the cruelty and cynicism of Hamas leaders and to rebut the group’s claim that it does not intentionally target civilians. The release of the confessions also appeared to be an effort to show Palestinians that Hamas commanders had manipulated their members and then abandoned them.
One of the militants interviewed in the videos said that Hamas leaders promised him a cash bounty for every hostage he brought back to Gaza. “Whoever kidnaps a hostage and brings them to Gaza gets a stipend … an apartment and $10,000,” said the man, who added that Hamas promised to pay him in U.S. currency.
The militant who described the cash payment for hostages also said that his commander criticized him for shooting a woman who was already dead. “[He said] ‘Why did you shoot? You’re wasting your bullets,’” he said.
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Some of the militants appeared to be low-level fighters while two others said they were group leaders. Two of them expressed anger at Hamas leaders who they said had sent them into Israel and abandoned them.
Former FBI agent Stephanie Douglas said the men were admitting to acts that had obviously taken place, some of them caught on camera by Hamas’ own body cameras.
“They admitted to killing civilians, setting fires and having hostages taken. So that is something that’s already very, very obvious,” said Douglas, who is now president of national security practice at Guidepost Solutions.
According to Douglas, Shin Bet would want to know the names and locations of the commanders and how they are communicating with others to understand the command structure.
Toward the end of the compilation the men are asked if killing women and children is allowed in Islam. They all answered no. The interrogators also asked if their actions were akin to those of the Islamic State terrorist group. All of the men answered yes.