Hamas Releases Strategic Narrative Document Framing October 7 and the Gaza War
Executive Summary
Hamas has released a long form, authoritative narrative document titled “Our Narrative… Al Aqsa Flood: Two Years of Steadfastness and the Will for Liberation.” The document is designed to fix Hamas’s preferred historical, moral, and political interpretation of the October 7 attacks and the subsequent Gaza war. It is not tactical propaganda or mobilization guidance, but a durable reference text intended for citation, translation, and long term use by supporters, sympathizers, and aligned activists.
Analysis
The document functions as a strategic narrative product aimed at legitimizing Hamas’s actions, reframing international criticism, and asserting political relevance despite military pressure and international isolation.
The text repeatedly frames October 7 as a legitimate act of resistance against military targets, while minimizing or deflecting responsibility for civilian harm, positioning violence as inevitable and justified within international and religious frameworks
Hamas presents itself as inseparable from Palestinian society, emphasizing claims of popular support, resilience, and governance capacity to argue that the movement cannot be excluded from any future political settlement
The document highlights civilian casualties, destruction, and humanitarian suffering in Gaza to portray Israel as criminal and Hamas as a victimized defender, using statistics and imagery to anchor emotional impact
Repeated references to international courts, protests, boycotts, and shifting global opinion are used to claim narrative and moral victory even in the absence of military success
Beyond its immediate messaging, the document’s structure and tone indicate a deliberate effort to shape the historical record. Its length, formal chapters, and professional presentation resemble a policy paper rather than conventional propaganda. The content is written for multiple audiences, including Western civil society, Global South governments, activists, and internal supporters, blending legal language, political argument, and ideological framing. Distribution through mirror channels reflects expected platform enforcement and does not diminish the document’s intended authority. The primary intelligence signal is Hamas’s decision to codify its version of events in a single, comprehensive narrative designed to endure.
Sources
Hamas Media Office publication “Our Narrative… Al Aqsa Flood: Two Years of Steadfastness and the Will for Liberation”
