Description
The primary aim of this research is to examine the non-kinetic aspects of 21st-century non-state actors like Hamas Military Strategy through the theoretical lenses of information, intelligence, and proxy warfare. The research aims to understand how the information and intelligence warfare of Hamas in the 21st century is weaponizing social media in the digital age to respond to American Foreign Policy and to achieve hostile agendas in international politics and relations. By deconstructing the Hamas attack of 2023 on Israel, the Israel-Hamas War (of October 2023), the current research aims to develop a theoretical framework of the non-kinetic and digital character of warfare of Hamas in international relations, American Foreign Policy, security, and war studies. To achieve this interdisciplinary objective, my research uses post-structuralist iniquity of power dynamics to examine the internet and social media as potential power challengers to conventional power corridors. The research used discourse analysis on publicly available Hamas social media posts (of X and Facebook), TikTok and YouTube videos to analyze the discourse and how it is helping Hamas to win and hearts of the Muslim population against American Foreign policy and Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The research concludes by developing a theoretical framework of Non-Kinetic Warfare and Weaponizing Social Media in information and non-kinetic warfare and security studies. The research also adds to American Foreign Policy literature on the Middle East and provides empirical evidence of the usage of social media by groups like Hamas and the public to counter American support to Israel and propagate anti-American narrative in public opinion, domestic politics and international relations.
