CINXE.COM
StratCom | NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Riga, Latvia
<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>StratCom | NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Riga, Latvia</title> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, user-scalable=no" /> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/assets/css/style.css"> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/assets/css/custom.css"> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/js/jquery-3.5.1.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/js/bootstrap.bundle.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/js/typeahead-0.11.1.bundle.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/js/scripts.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/js/owl.carousel.min.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" src="/assets/js/custom.js"></script> <script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-37W44HR664"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-37W44HR664'); </script> <link rel="icon" href="/assets/img/favicon.svg"> </head> <body> <nav class="navbar navbar-expand-lg strtcm_navbar bg-dark strtcm-navbar-light" id="strtcm-navbar"> <div class="container px-0"> <div class="w-100 d-flex"> <div class="pr-0 navbar-brand-ct"> <a class="navbar-brand" href="/"><img width="282" height="150" src="/assets/img/nato_stratcom-logo.svg" alt="StratCom | NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Riga, Latvia"></a> <div class="navbar-mobile hidden-lg-up"> <a href="#" class="navigation-toggle collapsed" data-toggle="collapse" data-target="#strtcm-nav" aria-controls="strtcm-nav" aria-expanded="false" aria-label="Toggle navigation"><hr><hr><hr></a> </div> </div> <div class="pl-0 mr-0 ml-auto navbar-collapse-ct"> <div class="collapse navbar-collapse" id="strtcm-nav"> <div class="navbar-nav misc-nav"> <form action="/search/" class="search"> <input placeholder="Search" minlength="3" name="q" type="text" /> <hr> <button class="btn"></button> </form> <div class="social"> <a class="linkedin" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/10505805"><img src="/assets/img/icons/linkedin.svg" /></a> <a class="facebook" href="https://facebook.com/stratcomcoe"><img src="/assets/img/icons/facebook.svg" /></a> <a class="twitter" href="https://twitter.com/stratcomcoe"><img src="/assets/img/icons/twitter.svg" /></a> <a class="youtube" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUzXxl479AggNV9inSEsuDw"><img src="/assets/img/icons/youtube.svg" /></a> </div> </div> <div class="navbar-nav main-nav "> <span class="nav-item"><a href="/" class="nav-link">Home</a></span> <span class="nav-item dropdown "> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" href="#" data-toggle="dropdown">About us</a> <button class="dropdown-toggle toggler" data-toggle="dropdown"></button> <div class="dropdown-menu"> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/employees/">Employees</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/about-nato-stratcom-coe/5">About NATO StratCom COE</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/about-strategic-communications/1">About Strategic Communications</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/structure/6">Structure</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/steering-committee/7">Steering Committee</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/vacancies-internships/8">Vacancies & Internships</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/frequently-asked-questions/9">Frequently Asked Questions</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/annual-reports/11">Annual Reports</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/about_us/for-press/12">For Press</a> </div> </span> <span class="nav-item "><a href="/news/" class="nav-link">News</a></span> <span class="nav-item active"><a href="/publications/" class="nav-link">Publications</a></span> <span class="nav-item dropdown "> <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" href="#" data-toggle="dropdown">Projects</a> <button class="dropdown-toggle toggler" data-toggle="dropdown"></button> <div class="dropdown-menu"> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/projects/academic-journal/">Academic journal</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/projects/program-of-work/">Program of Work</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/projects/stratcompodcast/2">#StratComPodcast</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/projects/information-environment-simulation-platform-inforange/3">Information environment simulation platform "InfoRange"</a> <a class="dropdown-item" href="/projects/online-course-introduction-to-stratcom/1">Online course "Introduction to StratCom"</a> </div> </span> <span class="nav-item "><a href="/events/" class="nav-link">Events</a></span> <span class="nav-item "><a href="/tenders/" class="nav-link">Tenders</a></span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div class="main-content"> <div class="publication-page page"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-lg-1"> <!-- <a class="back-link" href="publications.php">back</a> --> </div> <div class="col-lg-11"> <div class="page-header"> <div class="title"> <p class="date">6th June 2019</p> <h1>Hybrid Threats: Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza</h1> <div class="meta"> <div class="group"> <p class="d-inline">By:</p> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=20">James Pamment</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=32">Vladimir Sazonov</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=59"> Francesca Granelli</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=104">Sean Aday</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=105">Māris Andžāns</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=106">Una Bērziņa-Čerenkova</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=108">John-Paul Gravelines</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=109">Mils Hills</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=112">Irene Martinez-Sanchez</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=113">Mariita Mattiisen</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=114">Holger Molder</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=115">Yeganeh Morakabati</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=116">Aurel Sari</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=117">Gregory Simons</a> <a href="/publications/?aid[]=118">Jonathan Terra</a> </div> <div class="group"> <p class="d-inline">Related topics:</p> <a href="/publications/?tid[]=29">Hybrid Warfare</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="publication-details row"> <div class="col-12 col-md-6 col-xl-5"> <a class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/71.png" alt="Hybrid Threats: Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza"> </a> </div> <div class="col-12 col-md-6 col-xl-7"> <div class="meta h-100"> <div class="mb-3 specs"> <h4>Publication details</h4> <table> <tr> <th>ISBN:</th> <td>978-9934-564-33-8</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Year:</th> <td>2019</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Format:</th> <td>PDF</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Pages:</th> <td>21</td> </tr> <tr> <th>Size:</th> <td>2.74 MB</td> </tr> </table> </div> <a href="/pdfjs/?file=/publications/download/hamas_human_shields.pdf?zoom=page-fit" class="btn btn-lg btn-primary" target="_blank">Read online</a> <a href="/publications/download/hamas_human_shields.pdf" class="btn btn-lg btn-light btn-download" download>Download</a> <button type="button" class="btn btn-lg btn-light citation" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#citationModal">Citation</button> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="col-12 col-lg-10 col-xl-10 offset-lg-1"> <div class="page-content"> <p>This is one of the Case Studies from the report "Hybrid Threats. A Strategic Communications Perspective".</p> <p>You can access the full report here.</p> <p><strong>Executive Summary</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Hamas, an Islamist militant group and the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip, has been using human shields in conflicts with Israel since 2007. According to the Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the war crime of using human shields encompasses “utilizing the presence of a civilian or other protected person to render certain points, areas, or military forces immune from military operations.” Hamas has launched rockets, positioned military-related infrastructure-hubs and routes, and engaged the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from, or in proximity to, residential and commercial areas.</p> <p>The strategic logic of human shields has two components. It is based on an awareness of Israel’s desire to minimise collateral damage, and of Western public opinion’s sensitivity towards civilian casualties. If the IDF uses lethal force and causes an increase in civilian casualties, Hamas can utilise that as a lawfare tool: it can accuse Israel of committing war crimes, which could result in the imposition of a wide array of sanctions. Alternatively, if the IDF limits its use of military force in Gaza to avoid collateral damage, Hamas will be less susceptible to Israeli attacks, and thereby able to protect its assets while continuing to fight. Moreover, despite the Israeli public’s high level of support for the Israeli political and military leadership during operations, civilian casualties are one of the friction points between Israeli left-wing and right-wing supporters, with the former questioning the outcomes of the operation.</p> <p><strong>Key Points</strong></p> <ul> <li>The use of human shields can be considered an example of ‘lawfare’ – i.e. the use of the legal system against an enemy by damaging or delegitimising them, tying up their time or winning a public relations victory.</li> <li>Even if a targeted strike may be justifable from a legal perspective, first impressions frame the narrative. Public opinion tends to be influenced more by images depicting the suffering of innocent civilians than by well-thought-out legal arguments.</li> <li>National governments should be able to publicly justify their position, and reveal their adversary’s use of civilians in combat. This can only be accomplished by thoroughly documenting incidents, preparing supportive messages, and working across multiple channels to convey those narratives.</li> <li>Priority should be given to information activities aimed at the very civilians who are used as human shields, in order to undermine the adversary and convince civilians to actively or passively refuse to serve as human shields. Such activities need to be coherent, consistent and coordinated.</li> </ul> </div> </div> <div class="col-12"> <div class="pager row"> <div class="col-md-6 previous-item"> <a href="/publications/hybrid-threats-a-strategic-communications-perspective/79/"><span>Hybrid Threats: A Strategic Communications Perspective</span></a> </div> <div class="col-md-6 next-item"> <a href="/publications/extremist-communication-capabilities-in-north-africa-and-the-sahel/1/"><span>Extremist communication capabilities in North Africa and the Sahel</span></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="publications-list pt-5"> <div class="container mt-3 pt-5"> <div class="title mt-3 mb-3"> <h2>Related publications</h2> </div> <div class="row"> <div class="item col-12 col-md-4 col-lg-4"> <div class="item-content"> <a href="/publications/hybrid-threats-2007-cyber-attacks-on-estonia/86/"> <div class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/68.png" alt=""> </div> <div class="meta"> <div class="date">6th June 2019</div> <div class="category">Hybrid Warfare</div> </div> <h2>Hybrid Threats: 2007 cyber attacks on Estonia</h2> </a> </div> </div> <div class="item col-12 col-md-4 col-lg-4"> <div class="item-content"> <a href="/publications/hybrid-threats-us-transit-center-at-manas/84/"> <div class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/73.png" alt=""> </div> <div class="meta"> <div class="date">6th June 2019</div> <div class="category">Hybrid Warfare</div> </div> <h2>Hybrid Threats: US Transit Center at Manas</h2> </a> </div> </div> <div class="item col-12 col-md-4 col-lg-4"> <div class="item-content"> <a href="/publications/social-media-as-a-tool-of-hybrid-warfare/177/"> <div class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/hybrid-warfare.png" alt=""> </div> <div class="meta"> <div class="date">7th July 2016</div> <div class="category">Russia, Social Media, Information Environment, DAESH, Hybrid Warfare</div> </div> <h2>Social Media as a Tool of Hybrid Warfare</h2> </a> </div> </div> <div class="item col-12 col-md-4 col-lg-4"> <div class="item-content"> <a href="/publications/hybrid-threats-russian-snap-exercises-in-the-high-north/78/"> <div class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/76.png" alt=""> </div> <div class="meta"> <div class="date">6th June 2019</div> <div class="category">Hybrid Warfare</div> </div> <h2>Hybrid Threats: Russian snap exercises in the High North</h2> </a> </div> </div> <div class="item col-12 col-md-4 col-lg-4"> <div class="item-content"> <a href="/publications/hybrid-threats-disinformation-in-sweden/85/"> <div class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/70.png" alt=""> </div> <div class="meta"> <div class="date">6th June 2019</div> <div class="category">Hybrid Warfare</div> </div> <h2>Hybrid Threats: Disinformation in Sweden</h2> </a> </div> </div> <div class="item col-12 col-md-4 col-lg-4"> <div class="item-content"> <a href="/publications/social-medias-role-in-hybrid-strategies/179/"> <div class="img-ct"> <img src="/cuploads/pimg/NISSEN.png" alt=""> </div> <div class="meta"> <div class="date">20th September 2016</div> <div class="category">Social Media, Hybrid Warfare</div> </div> <h2>Social media’s role in ‘Hybrid Strategies’</h2> </a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="modal fade" tabindex="-1" id="citationModal"> <div class="modal-dialog modal-lg modal-dialog-centered"> <div class="modal-content"> <div class="modal-header"> <h5 class="modal-title">Citation</h5> <button type="button" class="close" data-dismiss="modal" aria-label="Close"> <span aria-hidden="true">×</span> </button> </div> <div class="modal-body" > <div id="citation-text">Hybrid Threats: Hamas’ use of human shields in Gaza (2019) in Aday S., Andžāns M., Bērziņa-Čerenkova U., Granelli F., Gravelines J., Hills M., Holmstrom M., Klus A., Martinez-Sanchez I., Mattiisen M., Molder H., Morakabati Y., Pamment J., Sari A., Sazonov V., Simons G., Terra J. (2019). Hybrid Threats. A Strategic Communications Perspective. Riga: NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence.</div> </div> <div class="modal-footer"> <button type="button" class="btn btn-lg btn-light" data-dismiss="modal">Close</button> <button type="button" class="btn btn-lg btn-primary" data-dismiss="modal" id="copy_and_close">Copy & close</button> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <footer class="footer-main"> <div class="container footer-main-content"> <div class="row pb-5 pt-5"> <div class="col-sm-4 col-md-3 menu-list"> <h5 class="pt-4 pt-sm-0">About us</h5> <div><span><a href="/employees/">Employees</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/about-nato-stratcom-coe/5">About NATO StratCom COE</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/about-strategic-communications/1">About Strategic Communications</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/structure/6">Structure</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/steering-committee/7">Steering Committee</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/vacancies-internships/8">Vacancies & Internships</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/frequently-asked-questions/9">Frequently Asked Questions</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/annual-reports/11">Annual Reports</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="/about_us/for-press/12">For Press</a></span></div> </div> <div class="col-sm-4 col-md-3 menu-list"> </div> <div class="col-sm-4 col-md-3 menu-list"> <h5 class="pt-4 pt-sm-0">Contacts</h5> <div><span><a href="https://goo.gl/maps/RL7XCHGC1N5Ku2DF7">Address: 11b Kalnciema str. <br>Riga, LV1048, Latvia</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="callto:+371 26542152">Phone: +371 26542152</a></span></div> <div><span><a href="mailto:info@stratcomcoe.org">E-mail: info@stratcomcoe.org</a></span></div> <div class="social"> <a class="linkedin" href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/10505805"><img src="/assets/img/icons/linkedin.svg" /></a> <a class="facebook" href="https://facebook.com/stratcomcoe"><img src="/assets/img/icons/facebook.svg" /></a> <a class="twitter" href="https://twitter.com/stratcomcoe"><img src="/assets/img/icons/twitter.svg" /></a> <a class="youtube" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUzXxl479AggNV9inSEsuDw"><img src="/assets/img/icons/youtube.svg" /></a> </div> </div> <div class="col-sm-12 col-md-3 footer-logo"></div> </div> </div> <div class="copyright"> <p>Copyright © 2020 NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence Riga, Latvia<br/> NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence is multi-nationally constituted and NATO-accredited international military organization, which is not part of the NATO Command Structure, nor subordinate to any other NATO entity.</p> </div> </footer> </body> </html>