Hamas has been defeated – but the fight goes on

Has Hamas finally been defeated in Gaza, nearly a year after it launched the most deadly attack in Israel’s history? Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has proclaimed that Hamas no longer has a military capacity in Gaza. 

Hamas has indeed suffered a considerable blow since October. Many of its tunnels – one of its greatest strategic assists – have been destroyed entirely or partially. Many of its commanders have been killed. Two of its top three leaders, Mohammed Deif and Marwan Issa have been eliminated, as was the organisation’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran. 

Although the precise number of killed Hamas terrorists is not known, it is substantial. More importantly, the elimination of the chain of command and destruction or seizure of many of its weapons have greatly reduced the terror organisation’s ability to fight back effectively.

All of this doesn’t mean that the threat is completely gone.