Hamas has about 40,000 fighters – almost as much as before October 7, the army in Israel believes
The Hamas group still has about 40,000 fighters or a number of 30-40 thousand people, most commonly mentioned after the attack on Israel on October 7, which caused the war in Gaza.
This is indicated by data citing Israeli publications such as the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel and Aaret on the last day based on information from the Israeli Defense Forces. Such an assessment, if it corresponds to reality, would suggest that Hamas still retains a significant part of its military structure, despite the elimination of thousands of its fighters (among the 54,000 killed Palestinians in the Gaza) during the war. Israel won Hamas as one of the two goals of the conflict, along with the hostage release.
According to Aaret, Hamas still has thousands of short -range missiles. There is also access to part of her tunnel network, which is thought to have extended more than 500 kilometers underground before the war began.
Israel can win the battle with Hamas and lose the war
The army, while still led by the Hersen Halevi (replaced this spring by Eyal for days before the renewal of the offensive in Gaza), insisted that Hamas was no longer a military force and was scattered in the form of individual commands, independent commands. With for their, it seems that Israel considers Hamas a still functioning force capable of internal coordination.
These media sources in the army speak of legal consultations conducted in the army, the purpose of which was to prove that higher intensity operations would be carried out in compliance with international law. More than 2,800 air strikes were inflicted by Israel after the collapse of the Hamas ceasefire on March 18.
Israel talks about « destruction » of gas and « minimal » aid, but also for the end of the war
The numbers again raise the question of whether Hamas is defeated with military force. The topic was particularly relevant, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeated the phrase « complete victory », and for 20 months, experts and politicians around the world have been taken into account for 20 months – because of the mass suffering of the Palestinians and because of the effects of the war on Israel himself.
On January 14, the then Secretary of State of the White House Anthony Blinken warned that the conflict could be « a recipe for a long rebellion and eternal war. »
Warn
| At the same time, the new information of the army shows that bombing and ground operations, which took about 50,000 lives in the months to the termination (mid -January to mid -March this year), did not reduce the number of fighters. This assessment was expected as in January US intelligence spoke of between 10 and 15,000 fighters (and mainly young, without preparation) for a 15 -month war – about as much as they were killed during this period. The spokesman for the Al -Casam military wing, Abu Obaya, spoke of the importance of recruiting fighters in this period to continue the « resistance ». |
Even Germany, traditionally cautious in the negative comments about the Jewish state, has solidified the tone to Israel this week because of its actions in Gaza. Chancellor Friedrich Mertz said yesterday that Gaza operations could no longer justify themselves with Hamas and that he did not understand their purpose at all. Foreign Minister Johann Vadeful warned that they would follow (unnamed) measures if Israel continues, and that weapons would not be exported to which they are being violated by humanitarian law.
Germany has solidified the tone to Israel: According to Merz, there is no longer an excuse for the strikes in Gaza
Subsequently, Finland continued with the words: « The massive blows of Israelis in the Gaza Strip no longer show me any logic – how they serve the goal to face terror. »
« When Friedrich Mertz has criticized such a criticism, we listen very carefully because he is a friend, » the Israeli Ambassador to Berlin Ron Prosor told ZDF TV.
