Three years have passed since Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, launched on October 7, 2023, which paralysed the State of Israel at a time and in a manner it had never anticipated. From the very first days, in all our assessments, we have emphasised that this was not merely a local conflict confined to Gaza, and we have continued to point out that it was launched with an objective whose consequences would be felt on a global scale.

The war that began with Operation Al-Aqsa Flood is the symbolic front of a global struggle between those seeking to uphold the “cruel international system” established after the Second World War and those seeking to dismantle this order and establish a more just world order. It is a profound mistake to view Gaza merely as a narrow coastal strip measuring just 365 square kilometres. Beyond the Palestinian question, Al-Aqsa Flood has emerged as a global manifestation of Islam’s spirit of resistance and the cause of humanity.

Hamas’s (Al-Qassam Brigades’) Objectives

The objectives of this operation are multilayered. So, what are they?

Broadly speaking, they can be listed as follows:

To shatter the myth that Israel is an “untouchable and invincible state.”

To isolate Israel first, then weaken it strategically and pave the way for its fragmentation.

To strain the global network of support behind Israel — the United States, Europe, certain Arab countries and other supporters — damage these relationships, and isolate this subversive, illegitimate state.

To establish a unified, independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders, with Jerusalem as its capital.

To destroy the global power of Zionism.

To disprove the myth of the United States as an “unstoppable superpower.”

To dismantle the modern international order that has prevailed since the Second World War and pave the way for a new, more just order.

These objectives aim not so much at a purely military victory as at a transformation in perception, politics and strategy.

To What Extent Have These Objectives Been Achieved?

In our view, these objectives have been achieved to a significant extent over the course of more than three years. The operation was planned and executed flawlessly in terms of the elements of location, timing and force. Through thousands of rockets, breaches of the border, the seizure of military bases and the taking of captives, Israel’s intelligence and security architecture was paralysed within a matter of hours; the perception of Israel as an “untouchable state” was shattered.

The Hamas resistance skilfully managed the battle of perceptions, turning the narrative in its favour. Despite the Zionist establishment’s control over the global media, it succeeded in keeping the Gaza Genocide and the ideal of establishing an independent Palestinian state at the top of the international agenda. This becomes clear when one compares the attention devoted to these issues with the space occupied in global affairs by the ongoing Russia–Ukraine war, taking place in the heart of Europe.

Before October........

© Stratejik Düşünce Enstitüsü