Hamas’s Greatest Hits

Inciting bus bombings

The song is performed in front of a bombed-out Israeli public bus

A memorial photograph of Yahya Ayyash, Hamas’s most senior bombmaker. A model of an Israeli Egged bus. Scattered photographs of the terrorists who murdered the Henkin couple. These are the opening shots of “Let the Bus Roof Fly,” the newest single from Lebanese Hamas-affiliated band, The Promise of Islamic Art. The current wave of terror has taken over thirty Israeli lives, mostly in grisly stabbing and car ramming attacks. This is not enough for Hamas, who seek to harm Israelis on a much larger scale: “Turn them into body parts. Roast them, bringing joy to the hearts of the steadfast people,” they sing. “We want the blood to fill the streets, and the blood to intensify the pain.”

The video opens with a photograph of Hamas commander and bombmaker Yahya Ayyash

The song and video, different versions of which have thousands of views on YouTube, urge Palestinians to “wrap the explosive belt around your waist,” and carry out terror attacks on Israelis. The band dances while celebrating and encouraging the murder of Israeli civilians. The song’s hook, “the story of the Intifada will only be told when the bus roof flies,” has become a trending hashtag in Palestinian social media:سقف_الباص_الطاير#, or #let_the_bus_roof_fly.  

Celebrating civilian death

Abu Al-Kayed and Jaradat recording “Run Over, Run Over”

Hamas using music to incite terror is not a new phenomenon. In November 2014, during a rash of car ramming attacks, Hamas released a new song, “Run Over, Run Over.” Though it has no official video, multiple fans have uploaded their own versions to YouTube, each one delivering the same message: run over Israelis. “Wait for them at the intersection, let the [Israeli] drown in red blood,” sing Muhammad Abu Al-Kayed and Anas Jaradat for the “Quds News Network,” an official Hamas media channel. “Terrorize them, your heart is strong.”

A scene from one of the fan-made videos, celebrating the terrorist Abd Al-Rahman Al-Shaloudi

The song also celebrates Abd Al-Rahman Al-Shaloudi, who committed a car ramming attack at a Jerusalem light rail stop. He killed 22-year-old Keren Mosquera of Ecuador and three-month-old Haya Zissel Braun, as well as injuring seven others. “Abd Al-Rahman al-Shaloudi ran over a Jewish settler,” they sing, referring to the infant Zissel Braun, “he did it for his country with his limited means.”

Two other terrorists, Ibrahim Al-Akari (who killed two people and wounded 17 others) and Mutaz Hijazi (who attempted to assassinate a rabbi), are also awarded places of honor in the song. “Mutaz Hijazi didn’t neglect [his duty] when he wielded his weapon and took control, mother [of Hijazi], let’s hear cries of joy! Mutaz has been promised Paradise…Run over the settler! Run over the settler! Run over, destroy, annihilate, blow them up – don’t let the Zionist live long.” Videos for the song have amassed hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, and are still gaining comments, over a year later.

A terror anthem

A scene from the “Attack! Carry Out Bombings” video showing the aftermath of a terror attack. Overlaying text says “DEATH TO ISRAEL” in Hebrew

Perhaps the most famous of Hamas’s propaganda songs, “Attack! Carry Out Attacks,” was released during Operation Protective Edge. By singing in Hebrew as rockets rained over Israel, Hamas intended to demoralize the Israeli people by threatening them in their own language: “Rock Israel’s security! Raze it to the ground, exterminate the roaches’ nest,” even mocking Israelis for going into shelters to protect themselves and their children from rockets. Hamas’s intentions – though undercut by their comically poor command of Hebrew – was to terrorize.

Footage from a bus bombing from the “Attack! Carry Out Bombings” video

Hamas will continue to use music for its own ends – celebrating death, encouraging violence, and preventing peace. Online incitement has played a major role in the ongoing wave of terror. The videos and songs that remain online serve to expose Hamas as the hate group that it is.