The Al-Qassam Brigades and the “Sword of Jerusalem” Battle: Possibilities of Proportionate Deterrence in Asymmetric Warfare (2008–2021)

The armed confrontations between the Palestinian factions and the Israeli army (2008/2009, 2012, 2014, 2021, and 2022) within the urban confined area of the Gaza Strip can be characterised as asymmetric warfare. This was due to the disparity in military strength between the two sides of the conflict, on the one hand, and the tactics and strategies pursued by the Palestinian factions in the face of the tremendous power of the Israeli army, on the other hand. However, Israel, with its military superiority in this asymmetric warfare, has not managed to achieve victory or resolve the confrontations to its advantage. It has also failed to achieve the goals it had set out in every operation or confrontation, such as causing damage to the resistance factions’ infrastructure, degrading its military capabilities, and deterring its missiles from penetrating deep into Israel. On the contrary, the strength of the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip has increased relatively in terms of combat power and effectiveness (i.e., training, education, and development) and technical competence (i.e., battle preparation, equipment, and management). This growing strength was visible in the May 2021 conflict, also known to the Palestinian factions as the “Sword of Jerusalem” battle.