The Israeli military reports that Hamas still has around 20,000 fighters and a significant stockpile of weapons, including missiles capable of reaching deep into Israel.
Over the past two years, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have eliminated more than 22,000 Hamas militants. However, they claim that Hamas has managed to recover its numbers, despite significant loss of personnel and infrastructure, according to a report.
IDF estimates suggest that Hamas has obtained thousands of small arms and hundreds of short-range rockets, with some missiles potentially able to strike central Israel.
Interestingly, the military estimates indicate that only about a quarter of Hamas’s extensive tunnel network has been destroyed, even though the Israeli military asserts that most of the tunnels utilized for coordinating attacks and weapon manufacturing have been taken down.
Prior to the outbreak of conflict, Israel estimated that Hamas had approximately 30,000 fighters in the Gaza Strip, a figure higher than those provided by the U.S. and its allies, and noted that these forces were organized into 240 battalions.
Officials from the IDF recently mentioned that Hamas’s military structure has been largely dismantled, implying that its military wing behaves less like a conventional army and more like a guerrilla organization.
The IDF also expressed the view that the new recruits posed no greater threat than those who have been killed, noting they likely lacked the same level of training.
Unexpectedly, Hamas forces began to re-emerge throughout the Gaza Strip during the ceasefire and initiated a violent crackdown on perceived enemies and civilians.
This resurgence resembles the pattern observed during the previous ceasefire in January, when hundreds of militants overran the city, showcasing their dominance by parading hostages.
Experts have warned that the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis have created conditions that may attract many recruits motivated by hunger and a thirst for revenge.
One released hostage, Tal Shoham, mentioned that some of the captives were former professionals like teachers and doctors who had been indoctrinated by Hamas to commit acts of violence.
The compliance of Hamas with President Trump’s directive to disarm and transfer authority, as outlined in the current ceasefire, remains uncertain. The group seems primarily focused on reorganizing and reestablishing its power in Gaza.
