text: So suddenly, the parades vanished. The uniforms disappeared. The moment the war resumed, Hamas militants who once flooded the streets, flaunting their weapons, stripped off their gear and vanished.
  
  Just weeks ago, during the hostage releases, they staged grand military parades—marching in full uniform, weapons on display, celebrating as if they had achieved victory. They wanted to be seen, to project strength, knowing they were safe under the ceasefire. They reveled in the attention, parading their power for the cameras.
  
  But now? Gone. The same fighters who once boasted in broad daylight have melted into the population. The uniforms are off, the weapons are hidden, and once again, it is ordinary Gazans who are left exposed to the consequences of war—while Hamas leaders crawl back into their tunnels like rats, safe from the destruction they provoked.
  
  This is the pattern—provoke, escalate, then disappear. They ignite war knowing civilians will bear the cost, then fade away when the real price is due.