Footage shows Hamas forces gather at a Gaza City square ahead of expected hostage release

By Emanuel Fabian

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25 January 2025, 9:43 am

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Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Footage shows Hamas and Islamic Jihad forces gathering in a Gaza square ahead of the expected release of four Israeli hostages on January 25, 2025 (Screencapture/Al Jazeera)

Dozens of uniformed Hamas operatives, as well as members of the allied Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group, are seen gathered at a square in Gaza City ahead of the release of four Israeli hostages.

Footage broadcast by Al Jazeera shows a large crowd of Palestinians also gathered in the area.

Last week, Hamas carried out a similar show of force when releasing three hostages.

At the apparent site of the hostage handover, Hamas operatives stand over a large banner in Hebrew reading “Zionism won’t win.” The banner includes the emblems of several IDF units and the Shin Bet.

Another banner placed below it shows images of several Israeli officials and IDF officers, with text reading “Failure” above each one.