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May 19, 2024
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Strategic Issues
A recent article from the Wall Street Journal discusses whether Israel can actually defeat Hamas.
According to the Al-Monitor website, Israel has been fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip since October 7th. But even though they have been destroying a lot of buildings and infrastructure in the northern part of Gaza, Israeli leaders admit that Hamas is still going strong.
Hamas' Strength
A senior Israeli military source, who wanted to remain anonymous, told Al-Monitor that Hamas still has a lot of power. The fighters of the movement are hiding underground and can move around using a network of tunnels that Hamas built under Gaza. This makes it difficult for Israel to completely defeat them.
Hamas will continue
While the Hamas command structure has been heavily damaged, most of the fighters, estimated to be around 20,000, have not been injured. This means that Hamas can still continue fighting, even though their leaders have been targeted.
Can Hamas be Eliminated?
Military experts believe that getting rid of Hamas is not an easy task. The resistance factions within Hamas are still capable of fighting, and it might take months or even years to completely eliminate them, according to some analysts.
Doubts from US Intelligence
The Wall Street Journal quoted a source from the American intelligence community who doubts Israel's ability to achieve its goal of eliminating Hamas. While the Israeli military campaign has caused damage to Hamas and its infrastructure, it might not be enough to completely get rid of their ideology.
The Toll of the Conflict
For 36 days, the Israeli army has been fighting in Gaza, using air, land, and sea attacks. Unfortunately, this has resulted in the destruction of residential areas and the loss of many lives. According to official sources, 11,780 Palestinians were killed, including 4,506 children, 3,027 women, and 678 elderly people. Additionally, 27,490 people were injured with various injuries.
It seems like eliminating Hamas is not an easy task for Israel. While they have caused damage to the group, Hamas still has a lot of fighters and support.
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Source: Al-Monitor
