On July 8, 2023, Hamas launched its summer camps in the Gaza Strip, this year called the "Shield of Jerusalem" camps. As in previous years, the camps, held throughout the Strip, are aimed at inculcating extremist ideology, including ideals of jihad and armed struggle against Israel, and are attended by about 100,000 children and teens from elementary-school to high-school age. [1] The activities they offer include military training and instruction in the handling and use of various weapons, in order to "train the generation of liberation and victory," as Hamas officials explained.[2]
At the camps' opening ceremony in Khan Yunis, the chairman of Hamas' Central Committee for Summer Camps, Muhammad Abu 'Askar, said that the name "Shield of Jerusalem" was meant "to instill [awareness of] the worth of Jerusalem and the Palestinians' right to it in the hearts of the younger generation… in order to enhance their motivation."[3] At another ceremony, the chairman of the Rafah Administrative Committee, Jum'a Hassanein, said that "these youth camps are intended to train the generation of liberation and victory." The summer camp director in Rafah, Muhammad Barhoum, said that the camps are part of "Hamas' activities that focus on the [younger] generation[4] due to its importance" as "the generation of liberation and victory." [5] Hamas spokesman 'Abd Al-Latif Al-Qanou' said that the summer camps were an important component of building up a younger generation that appreciates the status of Jerusalem and the Al-Aqsa Mosque and is deeply committed to the national principles and the right of return and liberation." According to him, "the name 'Shield of Jerusalem'… emphasizes the centrality of the issue of Jerusalem, which must remain in the mind of the younger generation, and [stresses] that we must prepare to liberate Jerusalem from the filthy usurping occupiers [i.e., the Israelis]."[6]
As in previous years, the summer camps focus on familiarizing the youngsters with various weapons, including the AK-47, sniper guns, RPG launchers, mortars and machine guns. The campers practice assembling and disassembling the weapons, holding them and using them, and also train in urban warfare and tunnel warfare. Some of the lessons are taught by masked members of Hamas' armed wing, the 'Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades, and some are even held in Hamas military bases. A boy at one of the camps gave a demonstration of tunnel warfare for Younis Al-Astal, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council on behalf of Hamas, who toured the camps with other Hamas officials. At some of the camps, Israeli flags were spread on the ground so that the campers would step on them. Terrorists who carried out deadly attacks against Israelis are presented to the campers as role models, and their portraits feature in the camps and in camp activities.
The logo of this year's summer camps (T.me/der3quds)
Below are photos documenting the military activities at Hamas' 2023 summer camps in Gaza.
Weapons Lessons and Training
As noted, the campers learn about various types of weapons and practice handling and using them. Some of these activities are conducted by Al-Qassam operatives.
Lesson on rifles in western Gaza summer camp (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 9, 2023)
Lesson on weapons in east Khan Younis summer camp (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 8, 202
Lesson on weapons in Al-Qarara, Khan Younis (acebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 9, 2023)
Lesson on assembling and disassembling the AK-47 in Al-Amal, Khan Younis; in the corner is a portrait of terrorist Ibrahim Al-Naboulsi, responsible for several West Bank shootings (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 9, 2023)
Lesson on assembling and disassembling an AK-47 in Ma'n area of Khan Younis (Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023)
Al-Qassam Operatives Demonstrate Mortars, RPGs And Other Weapons
T.me/der3quds, July 10, 2023
T.me/der3quds, July 10, 2023
Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023
Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023
Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023
Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023
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Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023
T.me/der3quds, July 11, 2023
Military Training
As stated, the campers also engaged in military training exercises, some of them held in Al-Qassam bases, which involved marching, carrying and aiming weapons and practicing urban warfare.
To watch a MEMRI TV clip of these activities at the camps, click below:
Campers in Tufah train at Hamas military base (T.me/der3quds, July 10, 2023)
Campers in Tufah train at Hamas military base (T.me/der3quds, July 10, 2023)
Campers practice urban warfare in Hamas training base (T.me/der3quds, July 10, 2023)
Campers practice urban warfare in Hamas training base (T.me/der3quds, July 10, 2023)
Campers in uniform train with weapons in the Al-Amal area of Khan Younis (T.me/der3quds, July 13, 2023)
Campers in uniform train with weapons in the Al-Amal area of Khan Younis (T.me/der3quds, July 13, 2023)
Campers in uniform train with weapons in the Al-Amal area of Khan Younis (T.me/der3quds, July 13, 2023)
Campers in Al-Qassam uniform at camp graduation ceremony in Al-Qarara, Khan Younis (T.me/der3quds, July 13, 2023)
Handling weapons in Al-Radwan summer camp in west Gaza (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 9, 2023)
Handling weapons in Al-Radwan summer camp in west Gaza (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 9, 2023)
Boy at Al-Qarara camp in Khan Younis aims weapon at picture of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Ministers Smotrich and Ben-Gvir (Facebook.com/ profile.php?id=100094097553980, July 16, 2023)
Boy holding rifle in Daraj camp in eastern Gaza (T.me/der3quds, July 12, 2023
Boy learns correct posture for firing in Al-Amal camp in Khan Younis (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 8, 2023)
Aiming dummy weapons in Daraj camp in eastern Gaza (T.me/der3quds, July 12, 2023)
Boys from central Gaza camp visit Hamas tunnel (T.me/der3quds, July 13, 2023)
Boy at Khan Younis camp demonstrates tunnel warfare to a delegation of Hamas officials headed by Hamas PLC Member Younis Al-Astal (Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 11, 2023)
Hamas PLC Member Younis Al-Astal aims weapon during tour of Khan Younis camps (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 10, 2023)
Hamas PLC Member Younis Al-Astal aims weapon during tour of Khan Younis camp (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 10, 2023)
Indoctrination To Armed Struggle Against Israel
As stated, in addition to imparting military knowhow and skills, Hamas' summer camps serve as platforms for instilling values of jihad and armed struggle against Israel. Accordingly, terrorists who carried out deadly attacks against Israelis are presented as role models, and their portraits feature in the camps and in camp activities. Furthermore, at some of the camps Israeli flags were spread on the ground so that the campers would step on them.
Campers in northern Rafah pose with poster of terrorist Khairi 'Alqam, who murdered seven civilians – six Israelis and a Ukrainian national – in a Jerusalem neighborhood in January 2023 (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 10, 2023)
Campers in Al-Amal pose with poster showing the 12 terrorists killed in the Israeli army's July 2023 operation in Jenin (Facebook.com/Grass.kha, July 8, 2023)
Boys step on Israeli flag in Khan Younis camp (Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093357740642, July 10, 2023)
Boys step on Israeli flag in Khan Younis camp (T.me/der3quds, July 8, 2023)
[1] On Hamas summer camps in previous years, see MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 10107 - Hamas' 'Saplings Of Jerusalem' Summer Camps In Gaza Offer Weapons Training To Prepare Kids For Liberating Palestine – August 1, 2022; Special Dispatch No. 9417 - Hamas And Islamic Jihad Summer Camps In Gaza: A Framework For Jihadi Indoctrination, Military Training – June 28, 2021; Special Dispatch No. 9411 - Hamas' Camps For Children And Youth – A Means Of Indoctrination For Jihad And Martyrdom, Imparting Military Skills – June 24, 2021; Special Dispatch No. 6145 - Hamas Military Wing Summer Camp: Teens Enact Scenes from Al-Aqsa Mosque Standoff, "Kill" Israeli Soldiers, "Liberate" Al-Aqsa Mosque – July 19, 2017;Special Dispatch No. 7046 - Motto Of Hamas Summer Camps This Year: 'Marching On Jerusalem'; Their Goal: To Train The Generation That Will Liberate Palestine, Jerusalem - August 8, 2017;Special Dispatch No. 6560 - Al-Quds Intifada Summer Camps In Gaza Offer Training In Stabbing, Firearms, Tunnel Combat – August 8, 2016; Special Dispatch No. 5025 - Hamas Summer Camps in Gaza Train Youth in Warfare, Instill Spirit of Jihad – July 27, 2015.
[2] Palinfo.com, July 8, 2023.
[3] Palinfo.com, July 8, 2023.
[4] On other Hamas activities aimed at instilling the culture of resistance in children, see e.g. MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10690 – Hamas Encourages Young Children To Visit Weapon Exhibitions In Gaza, July 3, 2023.
[5] T.me/der3quds, July 8, 2023.
[6] Hamas.ps, July 12, 2023.
