Symbol: Inverted Red Triangle

Since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas against Israel, the inverted red triangle has, in many cases, come to signify support for violent Palestinian resistance against Israel and against Zionists and Jewish people more broadly. It is used both offline and online, sometimes in the form of an emoji (🔻), and has been spraypainted on Jewish homes and institutions, often alongside antisemitic and threatening slogans.  
 

The symbol first appeared in propaganda videos from the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's military wing, marking Israeli military targets with inverted red triangles. Since then, it has evolved in anti-Zionist content to represent Hamas itself and glorify violence—appearing in memes and cartoons placed over Israeli soldiers or cutting through a Star of David to imply or call for targeted violence. This content spreads across X, Instagram, Telegram, and TikTok. 
 
Since October 2023, the symbol has appeared extensively at protests, rallies, and encampments; on posters, fliers, and stickers; and in anti-Israel and antisemitic graffiti. It frequently accompanies open support for terror groups like Hamas or calls for "Intifada"—a term generally understood as advocating violence against Israelis and Jews. The symbol has been used to target Jewish organizations like Hillel and Jewish public figures. 
 

At anti-Israel demonstrations, protesters often depict the symbol using a hand sign directed at institutions and individuals connected to Israel or Zionism. This is typically made by forming a "V" with the index and middle fingers of one hand and completing the triangle's top with a finger from the other hand. Alternatively, both hands may be used to form the "V" with middle fingers while overlapping index fingers complete the triangle's peak. 
 

Context must be considered when determining whether use of the inverted red triangle represents support for Hamas: because part of the Palestinian flag is a large red triangle, some users may see it as a harmless symbol of support for Palestine and use it accordingly; additionally, the emoji is frequently used in content unrelated to Israel or Palestine, sometimes as bullet points or as an arrow.