When Hamas set its sights on the people of Israel, many believed this was the worst-case scenario for many of the Jewish people. Given the announcement that it was the deadliest attack on the Jews since the rise of the Nazis, it sounded like the spirit of Hitler was now alive and well. This time coming from the people of Palestine, directed to the fighters from Hamas.
As first reported by The Telegraph, many of the fighters were incredibly high on a drug commonly described as “poor man’s Cocaine”- Captagon pills. Discovered in the pockets of Hamas fighters killed or taken captive on October 7th, this highly addictive amphetamine gives the nervous system a massive stimulation. Allowing fighters to stay awake for days at a time, it is believed that it was taken heavily during the initial assault and then as needed during the persistent advancement.
Given the situation on the ground, it has not been conclusively established that they were high, but according to those who survived, they had a crazed, almost possessed look on their faces. Operating as if they were the hammer of God (in their case Allah), they went after the Israelis, no matter their age or sex.
Used extensively in the Middle East, multiple reports list a combination of caffeine, fenethylline, and other fillers as its ingredients. Islamic State fighters helped popularize the drug over the last 20 years after it was already in existence since the 1960s. Currently, Syria is the main location for the production of this drug. David Adesnik, a senior fellow and the director of research at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies expressed what he has seen from the drug’s increase. “The Syrian regime’s trafficking of billions of dollars’ worth of Captagon has helped to spread violence across the region; Hamas terrorists’ reported use of the drug only adds to the carnage.