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Red triangle (Palestinian symbol)

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An inverted red triangle
The design of the flag of Palestine (pictured) features a red triangle.

During the Gaza war, an inverted red triangle has been used as a symbol of support for Palestine.

The symbol originates from combat footage published by Hamas during the war that uses inverted red triangles as arrows to indicate targets, such as tanks, shortly before they are attacked or destroyed.[1][2][3] The historical significance of the symbol, or whether it holds significance at all, is not entirely clear.[4][5] The symbol has appeared at protests against the Gaza war and in graffiti in support of Palestine around the world. It has also been used in incidents of vandalism against individuals or establishments.[6][7][8][9][10] Interpretations of the triangle are varied; it is sometimes seen as a symbol of resistance.[11]

History

The Palestinian flag hanging on Al-Aqsa Mosque. When the Palestinian flag is hung vertically, the red triangle points downward.[12]

The flag of Palestine contains a red triangle,[4][13][14] along with white, green and black stripes,[15] and this flag was endorsed by the Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1964.[16] The red triangle on the Palestinian flag, when horizontal, is not inverted; however, when the flag is hung vertically (eg. from windows or from shoulders), the red triangle does point downward.[12]

Most stories on the origin of the red triangle credit Sharif Husayn (pictured) for adding it to the 1916 Flag of the Arab Revolt.

The origins of the flag go back to the Arab Revolt of 1916. On its first anniversary, Sharif Hussein ordered the adoption of a new flag, though it was probably in use earlier.[17] This flag contained a red triangle, which is usualky said to have stood for the Hashemite dynasty.[17][4] According to a 1923 biography of Mark Sykes, the red triangle represented the Mudar tribal chieftancy, which included the family of the Prophet Muhammad, from whom the Hashemites claimed their lineage.[17] According to one story (of unknown veracity), the red triangle came about during a meeting between Sharif Hussein and the Arab poet Fu'ad al-Khatib.[18] Al-Khatib recalled his nationalist friends in Beirut had suggested an amalgamation of the banners of the great Arab dynasties: white for the Umayyads, black for the Abbasids and green for the Fatimids.[18] Sharif Hussein agreed, but insisted on including the banner of the Quraysh too, which was based on the crimson of the 'unnab fruit. Thus, according to the story, the Arab flag came to include a red triangle.[18] Other sources also say that while the Arab flag existed prior to World War I, it was Sharif Hussein who added the red triangle,[19] or that it was suggested to him by Sykes and he accepted it,[20] but changed the color of the triangle from dark red to scarlet.[21]

When Mandatory Iraq broke away from the Ottoman Empire, it also initially adopted the red triangle in its flag, considering red to be a traditional Islamic color. But it later changed the shape of the red triangle, and added two seven-pointed stars to it.[22]

Some media, including i24NEWS, The Telegraph, and Commentary, have alternatively linked the triangle to Nazi concentration camp badges, where political prisoners were identified with a red triangle.[14][23][24] However, Samia Bala writes that the red triangle appeared on the flag of the Arab Revolt of 1916, which predates Nazism.[25]

Use since 2023

Contemporary use of the symbol originates from combat footage published by Al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) during the Gaza war, which began on 7 October 2023, that uses inverted red triangles as arrows to indicate targets, such as tanks operated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), shortly before they are attacked or destroyed.[1][2][3] In these videos, the destruction of military targets denoted by the red triangle is often followed by chants like "God is great" and "Palestine will be free".[5] In the early months of the Gaza war, some social media users connected the shape with other symbols of Palestinian resistance, such as a headscarf or slingshot.[13] Palestinian journalist Ramzy Baroud wrote that its connotation as a symbol of resistance (including its resemblance to the triangle on the Palestinian flag) may have been intentional when it was first created or that the design may have simply been a functional choice by "a young Palestinian tech-savvy fighter".[5]

Baroud has described the red triangle as a symbol of resistance and the need for action on a global scale. He likened it to a visual indicator guiding the world's attention to the Palestinian struggle.[5][11] Experts interviewed by CBC News for an article about the red triangle acknowledged that symbols can be interpreted in different ways and that their meanings and significance can vary.[4]

Since its establishment as a symbol of Palestinian resistance, depictions of the red triangle have appeared at Gaza war protests and been incorporated in graffiti in support of Palestine in countries around the world, including Australia,[26] Bahrain,[5] Canada,[4] Germany,[14] Lebanon,[1] and the United States.[4] It has also appeared as graffiti in Hebron in the West Bank.[4] In December 2025, it was displayed on a banner in Palestine Square, Tehran, Iran, alongside an image of former Hamas spokesperson Abu Obeida, with the words "Juden-Nazis spill blood, the fire grows, and the phoenix returns" in Hebrew and Persian.[27] The Cyber Isnaad Front, an anti-Israel hacker group identified as possibly Iranian-backed by the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, uses a modified version of the triangle when posting about its alleged victims.[28]

Two instances of the red triangle used in graffiti, both in Berlin

The symbol has sometimes been used to target private individuals or establishments. In the summer of 2024, in New York, United States, it was spray-painted on the residences of board members of the Brooklyn Museum, as well as that of its director Anne Pasternak; and that of Columbia University's chief operating officer, Cas Holloway. Messages left by the vandals at the residences of Pasternak and Holloway specifically targeted them for allegedly being a "white supremacist Zionist" and contributing to the suppression of protests at Columbia University, respectively. Pasternak is Jewish, and several New York political figures described the incidents as antisemitic.[6][7][8][9] Also that summer, the triangle was spray-painted on the Pittsburgh synagogue Chabad of Squirrel Hill, near the Tree of Life – Or L'Simcha Congregation where a white supremacist attack took place in 2018.[29] In October of that year, on Yom Kippur, a Jewish-owned bakery in Surry Hills, Sydney, Australia, was spray-painted with a red triangle and the word "Beware". A note reading "Be careful" was slid under the door.[10] In January 2026, Andreas Büttner, a commissioner against antisemitism in the state of Brandenburg, Germany, was the target of an arson attack, whose perpetrators also spray-painted the symbol. This represented the second attack against Büttner in 16 months — his car had previously been vandalized with swastikas.[30]

In 2024, some social media users accused French politician Manuel Bompard of supporting Hamas after he appeared in a televised debate wearing an inverted red triangle pin. An investigation by France 24 instead connected the symbol to the Nazi concentration camp badge for political dissidents, the significance of which is explained by Bompard's party, La France Insoumise, on their website. Furthermore, an image was found of Bompard wearing a similar pin before the start of the Gaza war.[31]

Ravan Jaafar al-Taie, a candidate in the 2025 election for the Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees, faced backlash from Israeli scholar of knowledge Shlomit Aharoni Lir [he] for her perceived anti-Israel activity. The Jerusalem Post investigated al-Taie's social media history, which included multiple posts featuring the red triangle.[32]

Use by Israel

Avichay Adraee, then-head of the Arab media division of the IDF Spokesperson's Unit, uploaded a video during the first month of Israel's invasion of the Gaza Strip that used the red triangle to indicate Palestinian targets before their destruction. The video ends with the message in Arabic "Our triangle is stronger than yours, Abu Obeida". This prompted criticism from pro-Palestine social media users.[13] Another video published by Adraee in December 2023 used a blue triangle, along with the Star of David and blue circles. He declared that the IDF would continue to "dismantle Hamas and attack its ISIS members".[33]

Bans

In July 2024, the Senate of Berlin voted to ban the red triangle following an urgent motion filed by the Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).[34] Niklas Schrader, a member of Die Linke, cautioned that banning the symbol could unintentionally lead to the outlawing of other organizations. The Association of Persecutees of the Nazi Regime displays the triangle on their flag accompanied by prisoner stripes, a design that has been seen at pro-Israel demonstrations.[14]

A red triangle emoji (U+1F53B 🔻 DOWN-POINTING RED TRIANGLE) has been widely used by supporters of Palestine on social media. In October 2024, it was reported that Meta had decided to begin removing posts that used the symbol in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, according to internal guidelines obtained by The Intercept. The policy stated that it would only be enforced on posts flagged by the moderation system, which would lead to the deletion of material containing the triangle followed by possible further disciplinary action. Multiple experts interviewed by The Intercept expressed concern that the ban could limit free speech, including by inadvertently blocking the usage of the triangle in contexts other than supporting Hamas. Meta did not respond to requests for comment by journalists.[35][36]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Foltyn, Simona (26 April 2024). "'We are with them': support for Hamas grows among Palestinians in Lebanon". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  2. 1 2 Rushing, Ellie (10 May 2024). "Explaining the inverted red triangle symbol that appeared at the Penn encampment this week". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  3. 1 2 "A worrying trend sees symbol from Hamas propaganda used on campus". The Jerusalem Post. 26 April 2024. ISSN 0792-822X. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Stechyson, Natalie (4 June 2024). "What does the inverted red triangle used by some pro-Palestinian demonstrators symbolize?". CBC News.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Baroud, Ramzy (23 November 2023). "One small, red triangle: Palestine, we are finally looking". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  6. 1 2 Markoe, Lauren (12 June 2024). "'Abhorrent': NY officials deplore attacks on homes of Brooklyn Museum director, board members". The Forward. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  7. 1 2 Meko, Hurubie; Small, Zachary; Schweber, Nate (12 June 2024). "Vandals splash graffiti on home of Jewish director of Brooklyn Museum". The New York Times. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  8. 1 2 Markoe, Lauren (9 August 2024). "Palestinian protests: Columbia University leader's home vandalized". The Forward.
  9. 1 2 Seiwell, Emma (8 August 2024). "Pro-Gaza protesters splash red paint on Brooklyn home of Columbia University exec". New York Daily News. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  10. 1 2 "Jewish bakery in Sydney vandalized with antisemitic graffiti amid tensions". The Jerusalem Post. 14 October 2024.
  11. 1 2 "Symbolism and resistance – German parliament bans red inverted triangle symbol". Palestine Chronicle. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Red triangle symbol: Germany debating a ban". dw.com.
  13. 1 2 3 "What's the red triangle being used by pro-Palestinian activists?". Al Jazeera. 13 November 2023.
  14. 1 2 3 4 Jackson, James (7 July 2024). "Berlin bans red triangle symbol used by Hamas to mark targets". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 6 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024. The red triangle was originally used by the Nazis in concentration camps as a symbol for communists, but since the Israeli ground operation in Gaza it has been used by Palestinian militant groups including the Islamist Hamas to mark targets such as Israeli tanks in propaganda videos. It is taken from the Palestinian flag, which contains a red triangle.
  15. ↑ Brocket, Tom (26 September 2017). "What it means to raise the Palestinian flag in today's America". The Conversation.
  16. ↑ "Flag of Palestine Liberation Organization | Symbolism, History, Design | Britannica". Encyclopedia Britannica.
  17. 1 2 3 Podeh, Elie (2011). The Politics of national celebrations in the Arab Middle East. New York: Cambridge University Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 9781107001084.
  18. 1 2 3 Wien, Peter (2017). Arab nationalism: the politics of history and culture in the modern Middle East. London New York: Routledge. p. 32. ISBN 9781315412207.
  19. ↑ "Flag Bulletin". Flag Bulletin. 26. Flag Research Center: 268. 1987.
  20. ↑ Shehab, Bahia; Newar, Haytham. A History of Arab Graphic Design. American University in Cairo Press. p. 113.
  21. ↑ Barr, James (2011). Setting the Desert on Fire. Bloomsbury Publishing. unified by a red triangle on the hoist side, representing the Sharif. Husein preferred scarlet to the dark red Sykes proposed, but otherwise approved Syke's design
  22. ↑ Podeh, Elie (2011). The Politics of national celebrations in the Arab Middle East. New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 111. ISBN 9781107001084.
  23. ↑ "Pro-Palestinian activists in Berlin adopt new Hamas symbol". i24 News. 15 June 2024. Archived from the original on 26 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  24. ↑ Mandel, Seth (17 September 2024). "Hamas's fitting embrace of a Nazi symbol". Commentary Magazine. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  25. ↑ "Column: Calling pro-Palestine acts of resistance antisemitic is a distraction". Daily Tar Heel. 2 October 2025.
  26. ↑ Cramer, Philissa (4 August 2025). "Tens of thousands march in rain in Sydney as Gaza aid crisis renews pro-Palestinian protests". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2026.
  27. ↑ Sela-Eitam, Miriam (4 January 2026). "Banner in Palestine Square threatens Israeli, US troops". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  28. ↑ Lesser, Max; Ben Am, Ari (2 July 2025). "Israeli companies under attack by hacktivists with likely ties to Iran". Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  29. ↑ Kampeas, Ron (29 July 2024). "Red triangle, symbol associated with Hamas, is painted on Pittsburgh synagogue building". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  30. ↑ Swindle, David Michael (5 January 2026). "Pro-Hamas arson attack targets home of antisemitism commissioner in Germany". Algemeiner. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  31. ↑ "Did French hard-left leader wear a Hamas symbol during TV debate?". France 24. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  32. ↑ Heller, Mathilda (10 August 2025). "Wikimedia Foundation board finalist denies Oct. 7 rapes". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
  33. ↑ ""Israeli army" uses blue triangles to mimic Al-Qassam Brigades". Roya News. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 10 February 2026.
  34. ↑ Fatima, Sakina (9 July 2024). "German House votes to ban red triangle symbol used by Hamas". The Siasat Daily. Archived from the original on 29 July 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  35. ↑ Biddle, Sam (2 October 2024). "Facebook and Instagram restrict the use of the red triangle emoji over Hamas association". The Intercept. Retrieved 8 February 2026.
  36. ↑ DiBenedetto, Chase (4 October 2024). "Meta deems red triangle a proxy for Hamas support, will enforce removal". Mashable.
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