platform resistance:Hamas tacticle use

Media has become a battleground for shaping public opinion, mobilizing support, and affecting narratives in modern conflicts, a dynamic observed in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. On October 7, Hamas initiated an operation dubbed Tufan Al-Aqsa (Al-Aqsa Flood), in which it broke the apartheid fences that Israel had created to separate the Palestinian territories from the territories Israel occupied. For the world media, it was also known as the 2023 Gaza War, highlighting the revolutionary power of digital platforms in contemporary conflict. Unlike the previous phases of the conflict, where state actors-controlled media narratives, non-state factions like Hamas have weaponized social media increasingly to question conventional power asymmetries . This change echoes larger patterns in conflict communication, in which cyberspace is a strategic instrument to amplify protests, record crimes, and inspire worldwide solidarity and a strategic arena. For Hamas, whose media operations had changed from grassroots propaganda to a sophisticated digital tool, the 2023 battle represented a turning point in using real-time content to offset Israeli military and informational superiority (Patrikarakos, 2023). This study analyzes Hamas’s media strategy during the 2023 Gaza War (Tufan Al-Aqsa), examining 369 digital outputs over 100 days to assess how the group leveraged digital platforms for narrative warfare. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study reveals a cost-efficient, platform-native strategy dominated by short-form video (67%) tailored for Telegram, TikTok, Facebook, and X. Content was strategically aligned with phases of military operations, targeting both local and enemy audiences with varied persuasive appeals. The findings illustrate Hamas’s ability to bypass traditional media gatekeepers, amplify psychological messaging, and engage multiple publics through encrypted and algorithmic platforms. From a media economics perspective, this strategy reflects a sustainable communication model under resource scarcity, shifting infrastructural costs onto commercial platforms. The study contributes to scholarship on digital transformation and media management in the Arab world while raising critical questions about platform governance, moderation, and the role of non-state actors in high-stakes conflict communication.