The dark psychology of terror: How Hamas weaponizes human suffering

In a calculated display of psychological warfare that shocked the international community, Hamas recently paraded the coffins of four Israeli hostages, including those containing the remains of two members of the Bibas family and 83-year-old Oded Lifshitz, a pacifist known for his devotion to assisting Gazans. This wasn't just an act of violence — it was a deliberately choreographed performance designed to inflict maximum psychological damage on the Israeli people and manipulate global opinion.

The Bibas family case epitomizes Hamas's sophisticated use of psychological warfare. Kfir Bibas was just nine months old when he was kidnapped along with his four-year-old brother Ariel and their parents from Kibbutz Nir Oz. As the youngest hostage taken into Gaza, his red hair and toothless smile became powerful symbols of innocence caught in the crossfire of conflict. Hamas understood this symbolism and weaponized it.

Recent intelligence reveals the calculated nature of Hamas's psychological operations. A document found on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar's computer detailed the organization's strategy to intentionally abuse hostages as part of their broader tactical approach. This isn't random cruelty — it is a carefully constructed campaign of psychological manipulation.

The strategy works on multiple levels. First, it creates unbearable anxiety within Israeli society. Medical professionals have documented severe health consequences among families of hostages, including devastating combinations of anxiety, depression and trauma that worsen as time passes without resolution. Those familiar with Israeli society know that there is a unique bond among all of Israel’s citizens. This collective trauma serves Hamas's goal of attempting to destabilize Israeli society from within.

Second, Hamas uses hostages as bargaining chips in negotiations, knowing that democracies place immense value on individual human life. They exploit this value system, using it as leverage to achieve their political objectives. The organization has mastered the art of blaming victims and drip-feeding information about hostages' conditions, creating a perpetual state of uncertainty that amplifies psychological distress.

Third, and perhaps most insidiously, Hamas understands the power of visual imagery in the social media age. When they parade coffins or release videos of captives, they are not just communicating with Israel — they are performing for a global audience. Their propaganda videos and false claims are designed to shape international narratives and pressure Israeli leadership through public opinion.

The return of the Bibas family's remains represents a particularly cruel manifestation of this strategy. Hamas announced their deaths along with their guards in an Israeli airstrike, a point that has yet to be established, then held their bodies for months, using them as tools in their psychological warfare campaign. The public parade, ceremony and even the cruelty of not handing over the keys of the locked coffins was anything but an act of humanity — it was a calculated performance designed to maximize emotional impact and media coverage.

What makes this psychological warfare particularly effective is its exploitation of fundamental human emotions: hope, fear and uncertainty. Studies of released hostages have shown the devastating effects of psychological terror during captivity, with victims exhibiting severe trauma symptoms long after their release. Hamas weaponizes this knowledge, understanding that each hostage represents not just an individual tragedy, but a thread in the fabric of collective societal trauma.

To counter this psychological warfare, we must first recognize it for what it is: a deliberate strategy rather than a byproduct of conflict. Hamas isn't just fighting with bullets and bombs — they're waging war on the psyche of Israelis and the conscience of the international community. Understanding this reality is the first step toward developing effective countermeasures that protect not just bodies, but minds.

The tragedy of the Bibas family — from baby Kfir to his parents — isn’t just a story of loss. It's a stark reminder of how modern terrorist organizations have evolved to exploit human psychology with clinical precision. In recognizing these tactics, we can begin to disarm them of their most potent weapon: their ability to weaponize our own humanity against us.

Michael J. Salamon, Ph.D., is a psychologist and strategic consultant specializing in trauma and abuse. He is director of ADC Psychological Services in Netanya, Israel and Hewlett, N.Y., and is on consulting staff at Northwell Health, Manhasset, N.Y.

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