The U.S., Israel, and Europe Have Lost — Hamas and Its Backers Are Gaining

It has been two years since “Al‑Aqsa Storm” began. In Gaza, 65,000 martyrs; Israel is being brought to collapse; the U.S. is being isolated; Muslims are being united; and the international order of oppression is being dismantled. How?

Since 7 October 2023, when the Al‑Aqsa Storm began, we have consistently argued that this is not simply a Hamas–Israel war, but that the “Power” behind Hamas is fighting against Israel and the “Power” behind Israel. Every war has political, military, and strategic goals — and without understanding them, commentary becomes misleading. If you view this war as a Hamas–Israel conflict, you might conclude: “Gaza was devastated, Hamas lost 65,000 martyrs, 125,000 wounded, Israel is winning.”

But the goals of this war are far larger. The objective was to shatter the aura of Israel’s “invincibility,” to show that Israel can be defeated; to first isolate Israel, then break it apart; to disrupt the global support behind Israel; to strain and realign the relationships of the U.S., European states, and other Israel‑backers, thereby “sequestering” Israel; to debunk the myth of the U.S. as an “unstoppable superpower”; and ultimately to dismantle the “modern international order” that has held sway since World War II. Another crucial goal was to unite the fragmented Muslim world after two centuries of disunity.

Gaza: the small stage for the greater war

Because Gaza is the hot battlefield of this larger war, global attention focuses there. But Gaza is just a small front in the grand war. Simultaneously, an immense cyber‑war rages across the world. Also underway is a war of perception (narrative, legitimacy).

The U.S. and Israel have lost the perception war

Reputations — of states, institutions, or individuals — are formed by beliefs and narratives. States shape their image via media, diplomacy, and public relations. Thus the traditional media and social media are powerful battlegrounds for perception.

To those who reflect even slightly, if you ask: “Which country dominates globally in news agencies, media, social media, and narrative creation?” — many would say “Israel” or “the U.S.” That was once true. But no longer.

How so? In the 20 years of the Afghanistan war (2001 onward), 3.6 million people died — over 100,000 of them children. In Syria between 2011 and 2025, nearly one million lost their lives. Since 2022, in the Russia‑Ukraine war, former President Trump claimed that “on average 1,000 people die per day on both sides.” In another speech he said “1.7 million people from both sides.” Though these are estimates, the magnitude of destruction is clear. But the point here is different.

Why is the Ukraine war not always in the headlines, while Gaza is?

Ukraine is a country with strong Jewish influence both among the people and in the state. Its current president, Zelensky, is Jewish. In the two years since the Al‑Aqsa Storm, wars have raged both in Gaza and Ukraine. Yet Gaza has persistently dominated global headlines; Ukraine ranks far lower in attention—even though the war in Gaza is in the Middle East, while the Ukraine war is in Europe’s heart. Gaza’s war burns Europe more fiercely than the war in Ukraine lying at its doorstep.

Despite intense efforts, Israel and the U.S. have been unable to push Gaza off the agenda or replace it with Ukraine. This is extremely significant. It shows that the West has lost the perception war.

Israel and the West have forfeited their narrative dominance.

Israel stands behind the modern international order; Hamas is backed by those who wish to destroy that order and erect a just new one. Those who will build the “New Order” are winning the perception wars masterfully. They strike at Western powers using Western tools. Despite their stranglehold over traditional media and social platforms, Western states and actors cannot suppress the truth of Gaza. This is one of the most consequential theatres of the new global war.

The New Power stages displays above U.S. and European skies

Drone incursions — “unidentified” drones — endlessly patrol U.S. and European airspaces, haunting capitals and stirring fear. The sense of impotence and dread deepens. This is a reflection of modern warfare methods: the New Power is waging war without war, in effect winning by avoiding direct open conflict.

The West is losing not just on the battlefield but in the cyber realm.

Every day, thousands of cyber attacks occur. One force is mocking the West in its own domain — technology, innovation, and digital might — striking lessons at them. Like a cat toying with a mouse.

Deadly weapons

The New Power opposing the old system now surpasses Western countries in producing destructive offensive and defensive weapons. We won’t delve deeply here, but in time, this truth will become undeniably clear.

6 February and 7 October

On 6 February 2023, eleven of our cities were turned into rubble. The destroyed land was 958 times larger than all of Gaza. The area demolished then was 350,000 km²; Gaza is only 365 km². The number of lives lost 6 February was comparable to those martyred in Gaza.

Numbers can’t capture everything. Yes, 65,000 innocents died in Gaza, cities were ruined. By arithmetic, that is the situation. But mathematics is not everything — there are realities beyond numbers. From here we must adopt a holistic perspective.

Losses and gains

Of course we can never bring back the martyrs. We cannot restore stolen limbs to the wounded. But we can rebuild devastated cities within five years, perhaps better than before. Gaza’s population may be greater than it was. In that sense, Gaza can recover what was lost.

So what did Israel and its backers win or lose?

Israel and its supporters bombed Gaza with millions of tons of munitions, killing tens of thousands of innocents and reducing cities to ruins. But they also bombed the “values” of the West — the values of liberalism, universal rights, the United Nations order — turning them to rubble. Because of Netanyahu, the values the West claimed as “superior” have collapsed. Western powers that once declared themselves defenders of “justice and equality” now champion “genocide.” They have nothing left to defend. The greatest loss is moral and ideological.

Simultaneously, their economic, industrial, trade, and political advantages are eroding rapidly — and that decline will accelerate.

So what did Israel and the West gain?

 Among 8 billion people on Earth, they made 7 billion hostile. They cultivated divide, polarization, enmity within themselves.

What did Hamas and Palestine gain?

They won the battle of dignity. They gained the love and sympathy of 7 billion people. They won over hearts of those who once called them “terrorists.” They showed how a small few believers, with patience and effort, can achieve great conquest. They proved how true, sacred values can sweep away false ones.

Even if not yet visible through the fog, Hamas and Palestine have, in effect, won their freedom and independence — only the formal recognition remains. By paying the price of faith, they earned the honor and prestige of a Muslim posture.

To sum up this loss and gain in one sentence: What Hamas lost in five years can be regained. What Israel and its backers lost cannot be regained in 500 years. That is the essence of the matter.

Watch the finale

Trump’s 20‑point truce plan is now on the agenda. Concerns are raised about the plan’s content, especially since the version approved by Muslim states was later changed without notice. Some clauses are vague, others questionable. The fact that the plan was announced by Trump and Netanyahu together increases distrust. Can the plan be implemented? Will it be? Dozens of plans and agreements have been attempted in the Israeli conflict — none have succeeded. Trump’s plan appears to be a tactical step. What follows may further burden Israel and the U.S. After 65,000 martyrs, neither Hamas nor the Power behind it will hand over Palestine on a silver platter to Netanyahu and Trump.

Israel once, in 1967’s Six-Day War, defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria — and also intimidated Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Algeria. In six days, it had beaten three states directly. Yet Hamas has not been defeated in two years.

As we have tried to show, international balances are shifting rapidly. None of these global developments is accidental — nearly all have been meticulously planned and executed. Some worry: “If the old order collapses, chaos will reign.” Let them worry. They need not. The axis of the world is shifting, and in time everyone will see and understand.

The matter is not concluded. Tactical moves are ongoing.

Let us all follow this story’s continuation — together.

Alper Tan