Gaza 2014 Hamas Strategic Calculus

The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.55540/ 0031-1723.2973This article analyzes Hamas’ strategic and political calculations during the 2014 conflict with Israel in Gaza. I argue Hamas did not plan the conflict, which came mostly in response to Israel’s crackdown on Hamas in the West Bank (Operation Brothers Keeper). However, Hamas sought to use the conflict to reverse its increasingly weak strategic position, and had some success in doing so. However, given Gaza’s continued physical and regional isolation, Hamas’ enhanced position coming out of the conflict is not likely to be long-lived