Israel’s Military Operations in Gaza Weaken Hamas but Fail to Achieve Primary Goals
Israel’s military operations in Gaza have significantly weakened Hamas, with most of its battalions degraded and scattered. Thousands of Hamas members have been killed, and a senior military leader has been eliminated. However, Israel has not achieved its primary goals of freeing hostages and fully destroying Hamas.
The tactics of the Israel Defense Forces have come at a great cost, as vast numbers of Palestinian civilians have been killed, hunger is widespread in Gaza, and deaths around relief efforts have sparked condemnation. The war, now six months in, has strained global relations as Israel has lost support even from close allies.
Despite the heavy losses suffered by Hamas, much of its top leadership in Gaza remains intact, operating from underground tunnels and operations centers. The war has settled into a pattern of skirmishes and airstrikes, with Israeli forces targeting Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters.
Israel’s military casualties have started to rise, with about 260 killed and over 1,500 injured since the ground assault began. Talks to secure the release of hostages have hit a snag, as Hamas rebuffs proposals and questions remain about the fate of the hostages.
As the conflict continues, both sides are preparing for a larger operation in the city of Rafah, Hamas’s last stronghold that Israel has not yet invaded. There is uncertainty about what will follow in Gaza, with questions about governance and security.
The planned invasion of Rafah has become a point of friction between the United States and Israel, as Israel lacks a credible plan to evacuate civilians from the city. U.S. military officials suggest modeling the plan on the siege of Mosul, Iraq, in 2017, with targeted raids on Hamas strongholds only after civilians have been relocated.
The lack of progress in talks about a cease-fire and the release of hostages is attributed to Hamas’s negative response to proposals. U.S. officials believe the only way to halt the Rafah operation is through a hostage release deal, while Israeli officials see the looming operation as leverage in negotiations.
As families of hostages grow increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress, Israel continues its efforts to destroy Hamas’s tunnel network. The extensive system runs for hundreds of miles below Gaza and contains underground rooms used by Hamas for command posts and refuges. Despite Israel’s efforts, the tunnels remain a challenge to neutralize.