"I think Israel will think one thousands times before invading Gaza"
About this Quote
A vow disguised as a forecast, Ahmed Yassin's line is less punditry than psychological warfare. The clumsy grammar ("one thousands times") almost sharpens the point: this isn't crafted statesmanship, it's a blunt message aimed at an enemy's risk calculus. He frames Israeli action as something that can be deterred, not morally persuaded. The verb "think" does a lot of work: invasion becomes a choice weighed on a scale of cost, not a historical inevitability or a righteous crusade.
The intent is twofold. Outwardly, it projects confidence to supporters and potential recruits: we can make Israel hesitate; we can shape the battlefield before a shot is fired. Inwardly, it sets expectations and justifies strategy: if Israel refrains, it's because of our pressure; if Israel attacks, the implication is that the price was worth paying, and escalation becomes evidence of Israeli fear or brutality. Either way, the movement's narrative wins.
The subtext is deterrence through anticipated pain. Yassin isn't asking for negotiations; he's promising that invasion will be expensive enough to be politically toxic. That logic tracks the asymmetry of Gaza: a confined territory where a conventional army can enter, but not easily "finish" the fight without civilian catastrophe, international backlash, and an open-ended occupation problem.
Context matters. Speaking as a leading figure of Hamas amid recurring cycles of raids, assassinations, rocket fire, and incursions, Yassin is trying to relocate power from tanks to perception. The sentence is a small performance of leverage: make the opponent imagine consequences, then claim credit for their restraint.
The intent is twofold. Outwardly, it projects confidence to supporters and potential recruits: we can make Israel hesitate; we can shape the battlefield before a shot is fired. Inwardly, it sets expectations and justifies strategy: if Israel refrains, it's because of our pressure; if Israel attacks, the implication is that the price was worth paying, and escalation becomes evidence of Israeli fear or brutality. Either way, the movement's narrative wins.
The subtext is deterrence through anticipated pain. Yassin isn't asking for negotiations; he's promising that invasion will be expensive enough to be politically toxic. That logic tracks the asymmetry of Gaza: a confined territory where a conventional army can enter, but not easily "finish" the fight without civilian catastrophe, international backlash, and an open-ended occupation problem.
Context matters. Speaking as a leading figure of Hamas amid recurring cycles of raids, assassinations, rocket fire, and incursions, Yassin is trying to relocate power from tanks to perception. The sentence is a small performance of leverage: make the opponent imagine consequences, then claim credit for their restraint.
Quote Details
| Topic | War |
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