Hamas and its online social media army have produced much propaganda around videos showing released hostages smiling and waving at their former captors. In some cases, fantasies about one underage girl being "in love" with a Hamas fighter were produced. 

The idea was to frame the terrorist group as not only humane but so humane that the hostages preferred being starved in cages underground rather than going back to Israel. It's a talking point so hideous that only the most depraved people on earth would believe it. Unfortunately, there are a lot of depraved people on earth. 

But was something else driving the mannerisms of the hostages on the release nights? According to new testimony, the answer is yes.

Israeli Health Ministry officials tell a Knesset hearing that Hamas gave hostages drugs before releasing them so they'd appear calm and happy in their propaganda videos. pic.twitter.com/ZFoCWOaKg5

— Amy Spiro (@AmySpiro) December 5, 2023

When you go back and watch the videos in this context, you can see the evidence of this. Some of the hostages without visible injuries appeared almost drunk, unable to walk without assistance. The expressions given didn't look genuine. They looked forced and unnatural.

As RedState reported, in one instance a Hamas fighter could be heard commanding two hostages to "keep waving." The fact that so many listened makes a lot more sense when you consider they were impaired. 

This is what Hamas does. It uses propaganda as its primary means of war. The terrorist government can't win militarily, and it knows it. What it can do is mobilize a worldwide conglomerate of support by constantly presenting itself as the victim. The videos of hostages waving and holding hands with their captors were used as proof that Hamas had treated them humanely. By the time the hostages themselves got to share their experiences, the false narrative was already set.

There's another aspect to this, as well. Where was the Red Cross? Did that dumpster fire of an NGO not find it necessary to mention the state of the hostages it was supposed to be caring for during the transfer? Throughout this entire ordeal, the Red Cross has presented itself as a "neutral arbiter" rather than pushing to secure the well-being of those in captivity. No one should give a dime to them ever again.