Hamas releases Gaza comedian after public outrage
Adel al-Mashwakhi left Gaza after his arrest and release in 2017 over a satirical video, but Hamas lured him back to Gaza years later, only to arrest and release him again.
It was a video that landed Adel al-Mashwakhi in jail and another video that got him out.
The comedian and former policeman from the Gaza Strip is known for his videos critical of a wide range of political issues. Mashwakhi first gained media notoriety in 2017, when he posted a video mocking the electricity cuts. The clip, titled "Hamas, that's enough," was viewed a quarter-million times. Hamas arrested all-Mashwakhi but released him two weeks later, on the condition that he make no more “politically flavored” videos. Shortly after his release, the comedian left the Gaza Strip. He returned in October 2018, with promises from Hamas that he could get his policeman job back and retire early.
