Iran leverages Hamas' release of hostages for propaganda purposes

FILE - A woman and her children walk past a wall with photographs of hostages who were kidnapped during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas cross-border attack in Israel, on Feb. 26, 2024, in Jerusalem. FILE - This combination of pictures created Jan. 31, 2025 shows Israeli hostages Yarden Bibas, left, Ofer Kalderon and Keith Siegel, right, who have been held in the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7. 2023.

An analysis shows Iran is using the release of U.S. citizen Keith Siegel and other hostages to further a misleading narrative – one that says U.S.-designated terror group Hamas has treated its captives fairly and another that Israel subjected Palestinian prisoners to systematic brutality.