While American kids grew up with shows like Barney, Sesame Street, and Mr. Rogers, children in Gaza were raised by far more fearsome characters.
From 2007 to 2009, Hamas ran a program called Tomorrow’s Pioneers on Al-Aqsa TV. On the surface, it looked like a colorful children’s show. But instead of teaching kindness, its mascots — a Mickey Mouse knockoff named Farfour, a bee called Nahoul, and a mangy Bugs Bunny named Assoud — taught kids to hate Jews, glorify martyrdom, and dream of “liberating” Jerusalem through violence.
Researchers say this wasn’t entertainment, it was indoctrination. By using familiar characters and catchy songs, Hamas normalized violence for kids at the youngest ages. They literally groomed the generation of terrorists who are active today: many of the fighters who carried out the October 7 attacks grew up in the generation raised on this type of programming.
Instead of creating safe spaces for children, Hamas weaponized childhood itself — turning TV time into training for terror. Watch the video to see for yourself.
© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
