Inside Hamas’s Secret War Rooms: How Abu Obeida Built a Terror Propaganda Empire
Insights into Hamas's 1,500-strong propaganda apparatus, its war rooms hidden in civilian facilities, and the elimination of its mastermind Abu Obeida by Israeli forces.
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Israeli journalist Doron Kadosh has revealed new intelligence findings on Hamas’s vast propaganda and psychological warfare network, a system once commanded by the terror group’s late spokesman, Abu Obeida, who was eliminated in a targeted IDF strike earlier this week.
The revelations come as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that “Israel is losing in public relations” in its war against Hamas. Behind the scenes, however, Hamas’s propaganda machine was far larger and more structured than previously understood.
A Decade-Long Propaganda Empire
According to the findings, Abu Obeida built Hamas’s “consciousness apparatus” into a network of about 1,500 operatives, nearly double the manpower of Israel’s own IDF Spokesperson’s Unit and Influence Department combined. During Operation Protective Edge in 2014, the network numbered just 400; within a decade, it quadrupled in size.
At its core were 1,000 field operatives embedded within Hamas battalions and brigades. Each unit had a deputy commander for propaganda, overseeing trained “operational documenters” equipped with GoPro cameras, protective kits, and mobile editing systems. Hamas prioritized filming attacks over the attacks themselves, ensuring that even failed operations could be repackaged into propaganda videos.
War Rooms in Schools and Hospitals
Every Hamas brigade maintained a “hasbara war room,” staffed with video editors working in real-time. Despite repeated Israeli strikes, Hamas simply relocated these makeshift studios, often to civilian sites such as schools and hospitals, needing little more than a laptop and internet connection to continue operations.
Another 400 operatives monitored Israeli media and social networks, analyzing trends in public discourse to craft influence campaigns.
Abu Obeida: The Architect of Fear
Abu Obeida was not just a spokesman. Intelligence sources confirm he personally oversaw Hamas’s combat procedures and its psychological terror strategies, including the production of hostage videos and staged release ceremonies. He decided who would appear, what they would say, and even the cynical “release certificates” handed to captives.
His obsession with controlling narratives extended to major Hamas operations, from Protective Edge to October 7, where no military move was executed without his approval of its propaganda plan.
In recent months, Obeida devised strategies to block the IDF’s entry into Gaza City during Operation Gideon Chariots B, attempting to leverage hostages as tools of psychological warfare against Israel’s leadership.
Elimination After Multiple Attempts
The IDF has eliminated more than 200 operatives from Hamas’s propaganda unit so far, but over 1,000 remain active. Abu Obeida himself was eliminated only after three failed attempts. Intelligence officers tracked over 30 members of his entourage before confirming his exact location, ensuring hostages nearby were not harmed.
Hamas now faces uncertainty over succession: Obeida had no clear deputy, though one of five senior propaganda commanders may attempt to fill the role.
Security Sources: “Their Strongest Weapon”
“Hamas understands that its power lies in asymmetry and in how it tells the story,” Israeli security officials declared. “That is one of its most effective weapons, and that’s why it invested so heavily in propaganda. Every action was incomplete without it.”