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Short answer
On February 22nd, 2025, Hamas staged a grotesque ‘release ceremony’ designed for international propaganda, attempting to create the illusion that kidnapped Israeli hostages had been treated “with dignity”.’ The event aimed to amplify Hamas’s image in the Arab and Muslim world while also serving as a secondary objective to demoralize Israelis
At this ceremony, Omer Shem Tov was videoed & photographed kissing the forehead of the Hamas terrorists standing next to him. This stunt was choreographed with the intention of fabricating a false narrative, in which Omer supposedly had “warm feelings” towards his captors because that he had been “treated well” by them.
This blatant lack of spontaneity could not have been more obvious, as a wide shot of the stage showed the Hamas cameraman giving specific instructions to Omer, prior to him kissing the Hamas terrorists’ forehead.
The unequivocal proof came from Shem Tov himself, after his release, when he confirmed to have been instructed to kiss his captors.
Long answer
The moment Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov,who had been held captive for over 500 days since Hamas’ attack on October 7th, 2023, was forced to kiss Hamas terrorists on the head, was captured on a live broadcast, the day of his release, February 22 2025.
As in all staged hostage release ceremonies, hundreds of masked and uniformed Hamas terrorists, along with civilians,including women and children were assembled to create a large audience. The stage was erected, featuring banners with anti Israel slogans in Hebrew and posters of slain Hamas leaders.
On it, Hamas militants with high-end camera equipment shot videos for the sole purpose of disseminating them on social media. Camera-wielding terrorists are clearly seen instructing Shem Tov to kiss his captors on the head.
Unfortunately, some news outlets, such as Sky News, The Times, and the Daily Express, interpreted this footage as a genuine display of “warmth and humanity.” Along with this abhorrent mistake, they failed to recognize a crucial detail: the photograph was taken by Ashraf Amra, a known Hamas propagandist. Amra’s ties to Hamas led to his dismissal from Reuters and AP, after HonestReporting exposed him being honored by former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Essentially, this modern day Goebbels promotes Hamas’s agenda by creating a misleading visual portfolio for them. The kiss given by Omer Shem Tov to a Hamas member was nothing but a forced and calculated act of propaganda, orchestrated by the terrorist organization itself.
In Arab society, a kiss on the forehead is an act of friendship and appreciation, as well as a common familial gesture. Hamas, in an attempt to manipulate public perception created a false narrative to pretend they treated the hostages kindly. As a result, multiple pro-Palestinian accounts on social media shared the clip, claiming it was a sign of Hamas’ “humane” treatment of the hostages during their captivity.
After his release, Shem Tov revealed he was ordered to kiss his captors, under duress. His father also confirmed his son was “compelled to wave and to kiss on the top of the head that masked guard who was standing next to him.” Obviously, the context of Omer’s prolonged captivity and the violent nature of his abduction made this odd display of affection highly suspect.
By failing to verify the photo’s source, the big media outlets that amplified this manufactured moment, fell right in Hamas’ hand, furthering the terror organization’s antizionist agenda,
