Israel began two years after starting its military campaign against the Gaza-based terrorist group, saying that Hamas is down but not outside. This is despite the Israeli army’s huge better firepower and weapons, and the “total victory” is the request of the leaders of Israel.
“Hamas has seen a lot of military failures, but it still has the ability to re -organized and maintain command and control.”
Before the current era of fighting in the Palestinian region until 7 October 2023, the Hamas-led attacks in Israel resulted in about 1: 200 deaths-the climate group estimated that there was between 30,000 fighters. In the last two years, various Israeli security sources say they have murdered 20,000 of them.
The Israeli army has not given any evidence for the number of Hamas fighters, and many observers suggest that the number may be significantly reduced.
One year in struggle, “more detailed IDF [Israeli Defense Forces] Report on the killing of a terrorist with nuances on timeframes, places, or operations, about 8,500 deadly, “US-based conflict monitor, armed conflict location and event data, or acled,” Informed in October 2024“This figure is included from other armed groups from militant and possibly other non-boy Hamas members.”
Carved by a classified Israeli database British and Israeli Media It appeared to confirm this. This showed that, by May 2025, Hamas or his colleagues, only 8.900 nominated fighters from Islamic jihad were dead or “maybe I had died.”
This means that more than 80% of the more than 66,000 people killed in Gaza are citizens, the publications concluded.
Thousands of recruitments
ACLED suggested that Hamas may have recruited more fighters in the last two years. Earlier this year, American intelligence officials reported that Reuters news agency He believed that Hamas could recruit 10,000 tonnes of 15,000 new fighters.
“There are signs that include on social media, that the increasing number of young Palestinians without any pre -trained is bewed to join the Kasam Brigade (Hamas’s military wing) and to carry out guerrillas,” Leela is written by a rageer for research and policy studies in Paris. foreign Affairs magazine in August.
Observers say that both sides are in interests to increase the strength of the militant group. For Hamas, this is a way to offer electricity during ceasefire talks. For Israel, portraying Hamas as a serious opponent “may be an excuse to destroy the enclave and expel its inhabitants,” Mohammad al-Aastal, for an analyst located in Southern Gaza, said, told, new York Times Last month.
Although the number of Hamas fighters may be debated, one thing is clear: Israel has killed most of the group’s senior leadership, with only one senior commander left from his East-October 7 military council.
Guerrilla strategy
In the last two years, Hamas has changed his strategy. It operates more as a decentralized group and depends on guerrilla warfare, hit-and-run strategy and ambush using explosives, according to ACALL, according to ACALL, rather than being engaged in a direct fight with Israeli soldiers.
The number of rocket attacks crossing the border on Israel by Hamas has dropped significantly. According to Israeli officials, most of the group’s arsenal, especially heavy weapons search, as rockets, have been destroyed.
But Hamas still managed to launch two rockets in September 2025 and organize more complex attacks on Israeli soldiers. It included one of the Khan Younis in August 2025, in which the fighter used heavy weapons and hence tried to kidnap Israeli soldiers.
The Israeli army in the region says it has “cleared,” small Hamas groups have often rubbed, saying supervisors. It is likely that some of the group’s tunnel networks, which enabled to hide amazing attacks and Israeli hostages, still exist.
Beyond Gaza, there is evidence that Hamas has pacified its activities in the West Bank occupied after the remaining relative Ellie of about 15 years, even other militant Palestinian groups are still at the forefront of violence.
What about Gaza’s civil rule?
A very much question is how much control over Gaza is on Hamas.
Hamas has a military wing that is fighting the Israeli army. But the group, which has been in charge of the coastal enclave since 2007, is first responsible for Gaza’s civil government: everything from hospitals and police force force collectors.
Some observers say that the civic branch of the group has adapted. This included a new, plaincloths policy force and an informal system of cash payment for civil servants.
But that too can change. Civil servants were clearly paid with cash that Hamas had stocked for emergency situations, but it could stare at the money out. The Israeli army has targeted “individuals and facilities” individuals and facilities involving Hamas rule, municipalities and police forces, which according to ACILL, to weaken and weaken the group’s citizen control over Gaza.
In late September, the agency official told the UK newspaper Mentor That he had not heard from Hamas since March and was working with other community groups instead.
“Palestinians report that after the war begins, Hamas officials have been rapidly absent from public duties, including policing, partially due to chaos under the fire, but fearing the clear targeting of the structures of Israeli rule,” analyzer of the think tank. International crisis group It was said earlier this year.
Hamas ‘priority survival’
Gaza a former officer with internal security forces Told BBC Recently, Hamas had lost almost all the control of Gaza. Criminal gangs and clans were filling the safety zero, told the British public broadcaster, saying that the society had fallen in Gaza.
So Hamas is working with increased domestic rivalry Recent reports suggest Israel has deliberately supported the anti -Hamas groups in Gaza. A major organization is called Popular forceThe members of which are associated with the smuggling of the drug and the loot of assistance. Its leader has clearly tried to coordinate other armed groups to work against Hamas.
Many observers agree that it will not be possible to completely get rid of Hamas and that the group will be the closest thing to “win” which is to achieve Israel.
“Hamas near … preferred priority on direct confrontation,” Aclet told in September“It suits the attitude of the group that existence is a form of victory in itself.”
“Hamas is an ideology,” Hans-Job Shindleer, for the expert at the International Center for Counter-Terrorism, recently told DW. “You can’t destroy the ideology. You can [only] Decrected his military and terrorist capabilities. ,
Edited by: Carla Blekar