The Hamas System

The attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023 changed the world. It is the greatest crime against Jews since the Holocaust of the German National Socialists, committed by Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas. The documentary examines how a terrorist organization could become the strongest political force in the Gaza Strip. What are its goals and how could Hamas grow into a company with an annual turnover of several hundred million dollars? Terrorism researchers, ethnologists and contemporary witnesses analyze the history and present of Hamas, whose main goal is the destruction of the State of Israel. Documents show how children are manipulated with anti-Western and anti-Israeli propaganda through television programs and in school lessons. Images show how minors are trained to be terrorists in Hamas summer camps. In interviews, experts report how the ideology of the Hamas movement is also spilling over into Europe and bringing with it a whole new dimension of anti-Semitism.

Directed by Saskia Weisheit, The Hamas System leans on a strong ensemble — Heiko Grauel, Ulrike Becker, Susanne Schröter — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2024.