Israel Claims Hamas Has Been Defeated Militarily In Gaza, Now Operating As Guerrilla Group: Report

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has claimed that Hamas has been defeated militarily across the Gaza Strip and is now operating as a guerrilla group.

According to the Israeli military, Hamas is no longer the same organisation it was before October 7. Its command structure, weaponry, and number of operatives have been severely weakened, with reports indicating that at least half of its members have been killed, The Times of Israel reported.

This comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday told diplomats at the United Nations (UN) that “Hamas has got to go” and will have no role in Gaza’s reconstruction. He vowed to continue fighting until there is “total victory.”

“If Hamas remains in power, it will regroup and attack Israel again and again and again,” Netanyahu warned. “So Hamas has got to go.”

Netanyahu also told the global body that Israeli forces have destroyed 90% of Hamas’s rockets and killed or captured half of its fighters.

Israel has faced international criticism for the humanitarian crisis caused by its nearly year-long offensive against the Hamas militant group in Gaza.

According to the United Nations, most of Gaza’s population has been displaced. An estimated one million people—about half the population—are currently crowded into a designated humanitarian zone that covers less than 15% of the territory and lacks essential infrastructure and services.

The conflict began when Hamas-led militants entered Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking another 250 hostage in Gaza, as per Israeli reports.

More than 41,000 Palestinians have died in the nearly year-long war. Over the past few days, the Israeli military has conducted strikes in northern and central Gaza, claiming they were targeting Hamas militants operating from civilian areas.

(With inputs from agencies)