Black Lives Matter (BLM) made headlines this week after calling for Hamas to release their remaining Israeli hostages.

Simply by writing “Hamas: release the hostages” on X this past Saturday, a firestorm of criticism immediately grew, with pro-Hamas activists accusing BLM of betraying the Palestinian cause and aligning with Zionist interests.

“Did AIPAC write this post for you?” one X user wrote, while a second wrote “F—k you ZIONIST puppets.” Another user, claiming to have founded a BLM chapter, declared, “I would never in a million years agree to be affiliated with this filth.”

Facing mounting pressure, BLM attempted to clarify its stance on Monday by issuing a follow-up post calling for the US to “disarm Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, defund the illegal military occupation, and for Israel to stop murdering Palestinians.”

Still, despite the backlash, some observers praised BLM for showing bravery after Hamas executed six Israeli hostages in cold blood this weekend.

“It shouldn’t be controversial to acknowledge that Israeli hostages still held by Hamas should be released & should have never been held this long. I’m glad that Black Lives Matter, which also called for a ceasefire and disarming Bibi’s regime, has taken a stance to distance itself from radical elements who see no issue with Hamas’s actions or strategies,” one user wrote.

“Yes BLM. Thank you. Hamas must release the hostages and the remains of all the murdered hostages while they surrender,” said another.

BLM’s post comes as a surprise considering its overall anti-Israel policies.

In its platform titled “A Vision for Black Lives,” the organization accuses Israel of “genocide,” and co-founder Patrisse Cullors has often called Israel an “apartheid state.” Just days after Hamas’s brutal massacre on October 7, the Chicago chapter of BLM posted a picture of a paraglider used by the terrorists to infiltrate Israel, captioned with the words “I stand with Palestine.”