Hamas Is ISIS

Are Hamas’s brutal patterns of action, especially those of Saturday, October 7, 2023, comparable to those of ISIS? A comparison of the two Islamic terrorist organizations indicates a conceptual and practical similarity, including: shared fundamentalist ideology, their status as hybrid entities, their control over populations, Islamic indoctrination, education to hate, brutal operating methods, and commitment to jihad. The State of Israel, which just experienced the worst terrorist attack since its establishment, must continue to advance its tactical and strategic goal of eliminating Hamas with the clear message: Hamas is equal to ISIS.

The Gaza War and International Law: An Informed Assessment

In its obligatory war against Palestinian terror – a criminal process encouraged and sustained by Iran – Israel is acting within the bounds of pertinent international law. Though this assessment is difficult to acknowledge by many who can see only the tangible effects of Israeli military counterterrorism, it is offered here from the informed standpoint of authoritative legal standards. Palestinian civilian casualties of Operation Swords of Iron are the predictable and indeed intended result of Hamas’s perfidy. It is beyond legal question that the original Hamas terror acts of October 7, 2023, which included murder, rape, and hostage-taking, represent egregious, Nuremberg-level violations of humanitarian international law.

URGENT: An Israeli Strategy for a Post-Hamas Gaza

BESA Center
October 25, 2023
Paper No. 2225

Israelis have united around the goal of toppling the Hamas regime, but little has been said about what would come after. This issue is critical to Israel’s security and must be addressed. Israeli interests are best served by establishing in Gaza a PA-linked administration alongside a massive reconstruction program backed by the US and other international and regional actors. Israel’s declaration of support for establishing such a regime in Gaza as soon as possible would provide a political direction to the military operation and enhance its international legitimacy. Defeating Hamas must ultimately mean not only its military destruction but the empowerment of a moderate Palestinian alternative.

Swords of Iron: There Is No “Political Hourglass,” But Clear Decisions Are Required

Unlike during previous conflicts, Israel is not constrained this time by a “political hourglass” and it would be wise to remove this concern from the table if a decisive outcome in the ground operation against Hamas is to be achieved. The ability to maintain this situation over time is in Israel’s hands. Seven clear decisions, detailed below, will be required to strengthen Israel’s hand, along with the establishment of mechanisms necessary for their implementation.

The End of Mowing the Grass: If Israel Wants to Continue to Exist, It Must Uproot Hamas from Gaza

On October 7, 2023, Israeli deterrence completely collapsed. As a result of a surprise attack by Hamas, Israel suffered a severe defeat in terms of casualties and property losses. The enemy infiltrated Israeli territory, captured cities and towns, decimated their populations, and held them for many hours. The only way to turn this achievement by Hamas into a pointless endeavor is for Israel to dismantle the Hamas regime in Gaza and destroy its military capabilities. This is for two reasons. First, in order to ensure the safe return of Israeli citizens to the Gaza periphery, the threat must be removed completely and their sense of security fully restored. Secondly, an end to the war without the destruction of the Hamas regime in Gaza would be considered a success for the terrorist regime and serve as a model and inspiration for other actors in the radical axis who seek the elimination of Israel.

Hamas Is a Jihadist Organization Committed to Israel’s Total Destruction

In order to understand the nature of the strategic surprise inflicted by Hamas on Israel on October 7, it is essential to understand its jihadist orientation, which was formulated on the movement’s founding and has never changed. While Israel employs a Western military concept that avoids war and sanctifies the value of life, the jihadist concept aspires to self-sacrifice, death, and a cosmic religious struggle against “Jewish infidels.” Hamas has no concern whatsoever for the welfare of the local Gazan population, which means it does not have the Achilles’ heel of the Israeli side: the commitment to uphold the sanctity of life for both its citizens and its soldiers. Israel continues to operate using a Western democratic approach in the face of an eternal jihad. It will have no choice but to fight the jihadist mindset without any containment or restraint.

The Islamic State of Hamas

The Islamic State of Hamas does not represent the Palestinian national movement but is in fact a fundamentalist terrorist organization and a branch of the ISIS organization in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is a direct ideological descendant of the global jihadist organizations. It fully embraces both their ideology and their grotesque methods of terrorism and mass destruction. Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal’s call upon Muslims on October 12 to hunt down and kill Jews wherever they are found on earth is reminiscent of the United Islamic Front’s declaration of jihad against Jews and Christians, demonstrating the clear connection between Hamas, al-Qaeda, and ISIS. As stated in its charter, Hamas has been committed since its inception to the genocidal destruction of the Jewish people. Beyond that goal, it shares with al-Qaeda and ISIS the objective of global Muslim conquest and views all Western countries as Crusader enemies, with the United States at the forefront.

Hamas Leadership and America’s Extradition Option

Hamas has conducted the most devastating terror attack in Israel’s history, demonstrating humanity’s worst depravity. The attack led to the tragic loss of over 1,200 lives, including at least 22 Americans, with many more individuals held hostage. The US has a responsibility to its citizens to demand the extradition of Hamas leadership to face trial in the US. Drawing upon precedent and previous successful extraditions of international terrorists, the US can leverage diplomatic relationships and military assets to actively pursue their extradition from Qatar, Lebanon, or other locations where they may reside.

Cutting the Electricity Supply to Gaza – Consequences and Implications

Elai Rettig
October 16, 2023
Paper No. 2219

This policy brief provides a short background on Gaza’s electricity and water sectors and examines the immediate consequences of cutting off supply to the Gaza Strip. Overall, it argues that the tactical benefits from such a move are somewhat limited since Hamas has adapted to frequent supply cuts with a wide array of small-scale generators and rooftop PV panels, leaving the population to absorb the brunt of the shortage. The broader impact of the power outage will be on the ability to supply water to the Gaza Strip, which can create a humanitarian crisis if not addressed.

Iron Swords II: ‘It is a New Regional Order, Stupid’, and it must include the Demilitarization of Political Islam

In the coming years, global attention to the Middle East will diminish except in extreme crisis situations. The Israel-Saudi-moderates coalition will mainly bear the burden of stabilizing regional security. The current crisis, in which the United States is aligning with Israel in full capacity, must be used to establish - at both the ground and the political levels - the principle of stopping political Islam from controlling any military capabilities. The campaign to defeat Hamas is a step in this direction.