Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has defended his remarks in which he stated Hamas is "a thousand times better" than Israel, calling the rhetoric "intentionally provocative" and designed to challenge his audience.
Piker, who has a significant following, made the comparison in an X post in January and has reiterated his stance despite facing criticism. He told Rolling Stone Magazine that while a less inflammatory statement like calling Israel "worse" than Hamas might alienate fewer people, it was not his approach.
"I say that on purpose," Piker stated. "I want to force people to really think about what I’m saying. I want to challenge them to think about it a little bit."
He further explained his perspective, saying, "I’m not interested in the many bad things Hamas has done. I’m trying to get people to understand why someone becomes Hamas. Do I agree with everything they do? Of course not. I’ve called out their war crimes myself. But the point is to make people identify from their perspective. Palestinians have lived under this brutal occupation for 75 years. Put yourself in their shoes."
The article also noted that a Rolling Stone report suggested a more favorable opinion of Palestinians than Israelis within the Democratic Party, with the Israeli government ranking only three points higher than Hamas. Piker commented on the backlash, suggesting he was "having the correct position too early."
Piker acknowledged that his style includes a performative element but argued that his approach, which he described as speaking in ways that "people understand" and sometimes "push buttons," is more effective for reaching a wider audience than using "sanitized, academic language."
During an April appearance on "Pod Save America," Piker doubled down on his comparison, framing it through a "harm-reduction" and "lesser-evil" voting lens. He stated he would "vote for Hamas over Israel every single time" when viewing the situation as a paramilitary organization with a political wing, and described the context of children orphaned by what he termed an "apartheid state."
In a separate interview with CNN, Piker denied supporting all of Hamas's actions but asserted that Palestinians "have a right to resist militarily," while also acknowledging that both sides commit war crimes.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has previously condemned Piker's comments, expressing concern that he was "sincerely expressing support for a designated terrorist organization, on a mainstream platform, to thunderous silence from the Democratic officials who continue to campaign and appear alongside him."