Hasan Piker stands by 'intentionally provocative' claims that Hamas is 'a thousand times better' than Israel

Far-left Twitch streamer Hasan Piker defended his statement that Hamas is ‘a thousand times better’ than Israel, explaining that the rhetoric is intentionally provocative to make audiences think and identify with the Palestinian perspective. Despite acknowledging that both Hamas and Israel have committed war crimes, Piker asserts that Palestinians have a right to resist militarily. He claims his comments are a performance to reach more people, pushing buttons to convey his message.

• Hasan Piker defended his statement that Hamas is ‘a thousand times better’ than Israel, calling it ‘intentionally provocative’.
• He stated his aim is to force people to think about his statements and understand the perspective of those who become Hamas members.
• Piker believes Palestinians have a right to resist militarily, even while acknowledging that war crimes may be committed by both sides.
• He uses provocative language to entertain and reach a wider audience, rather than using sanitized, academic language.
• The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) condemned Piker’s comments for expressing support for a designated terrorist organization on a mainstream platform.