Hamas militants parade through Gaza after the ceasefire with Israel began on Sunday. Photo: Reuters: Dawoud Abu Alkas
By Middle East correspondent Matthew Doran in Jerusalem, ABC
There's a word in Israel which gets bandied around a lot, particularly during times of war.
It doesn't have a direct English translation, but is easy enough to understand whichever language you speak.
"Hasbara" roughly means "explaining" - and it's a term used for how Israel describes and promotes itself to the world.
While it is a Hebrew term, it's fair to say Hamas deployed its own style of "hasbara" on Sunday in the hours after the ceasefire in Gaza came into force.
Both sides are claiming this ceasefire as a victory. And both sides wanted to win the PR war after the bombing ended.
That became evident as the first three Israeli hostages were released by Hamas.
For a few hours, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Prime Minister's Office were churning out videos and photos of the hostages on their journey home.
The messaging was clear, from footage of the moment they were handed over by the Red Cross, to photos of the reunions with their mothers, and the emotional scenes at the Tel Aviv hospital they were flown to when they met other members of their families desperate to see them.
For Israel, after 15 months of war, the process to bring its daughters and sons home was underway.
Even Benjamin Netanyahu appeared on camera, speaking to Israeli security forces overseeing the transfer, describing his happiness, though few in the hostage family community publicly give him credit for their releases.
Hamas militants gather around a vehicle as they prepare to release the Israeli hostages at the weekend. Photo: Reuters: Dawoud Abu Alkas
If you only consumed reporting from some corners of the Israeli media, that's all you would have seen.
But over the border, amid the dusty ruins of Gaza, it was a very different perspective.
For all of the talk by Israel that it had decimated Hamas, members of the group with their distinctive green headbands were front and centre.
In a public square in Gaza City, where the hostages were handed over to the Red Cross, dozens of fighters wearing black balaclavas held back the crowds clamouring to see the trio of Israeli hostages.
Hamas' media office released its own video of the moment, as the female captives emerged into the sunlight, smiling. At one point, they were even handed goodie bags.
This was the militant group showing it was in control. It may have been beaten and bombed, but it was still standing.
The IDF claims to have killed more than 17,000 Hamas fighters during the war, although it's impossible to independently verify that.
It's also killed much of the group's top brass, including the so-called architect of the October 7 attacks, Yahya Sinwar.
But Israel said they had been wiped out and yet on Sunday, Hamas put on a show, running the handover in a bid to outline its ongoing strength.
Palestinians in Gaza return to their homes after the ceasefire took effect. Photo: Reuters: Dawoud Abu Alkas
This ceasefire has come to pass because both sides need it to succeed. Although neither wants to be seen to be making concessions to the other.
In Gaza, the devastation is unimaginable - even with the vision and photos which have spread around the world, and the work of the brave journalists who have kept reporting throughout the onslaught.
The now former US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said last week the war with Israel had helped Hamas continue to replenish its stocks of fighters, encouraging Gazans to take up the call.
But Israel's capacity to maintain its barrage should not be underestimated - particularly if the views held by extreme elements of the population and political class start to dominate the thoughts of those who call the shots.
Even so, with 98 hostages held by Hamas at the time the deal was struck, the feeling among many Israelis was that enough was enough.
They may perceive Hamas still poses a threat to Israel. But that perception could not excuse the suffering their hostages were enduring.
The next few days and weeks will be very delicate. Israel is already facing criticism for firing upon Palestinians in the days after the ceasefire came into force.
And as more hostages are released - some living, some dead - the Israeli government will be trying to soothe an anxious public.
While Hamas tries to satisfy the terms of the deal, it will also be trying to maintain its image as being far from defeated.
The hasbara machine will be in overdrive, for both sides.
- ABC
