On January 14, a few days before he entered into force in Gaza, current US secretary Antony Blinkn addressed the crowd at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC.
During the last 15 months, Blinkn has played a a key role Supporting the Israeli military campaign against Gaza, a campaign described by human rights organizations as a genocidal, which killed at least 47,300 Palestinians.
The goal of Israel, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was a complete defeat and elimination of Hamas. But speaking in one of his last appearances as the Secretary of State on January 14, Blinkn hit a different tone.
“We estimate that Hamas hired almost as many new militants as he lost,” Blinkan said. “It’s a recipe for a permanent rebellion and an eternal war.”
Hamas beat up but not defeated
Hamas has undoubtedly been hit in the last 15 months, analysts and experts in Al Jazeera said. Probably lost thousands of fighters, including his military leader Yahya SinwarAnd, according to the European Foreign Relations Council (ECFR), weapons supply was spent.
But as the dust is shrugs in Gaza, it is clear that Hamas has not been eradicated and that he still has the presence in the gauze belt.
Hamas fighters have highlighted In the handover of the prisoners of Israel as part of an agreement on the termination of fire with Israel. And members of the Hamas Civil Administration continued to work. If there are any authority in Gaza, it seems to be a hamas.
“Hamas has an interest in creating a picture of a power that is extremely orchestrated, and we should see it as a propaganda exercise,” Hugh Lovatt told ECFR for Al Jazeera.
Lovatt, however, added that after “more than a year of fighting, [Hamas] Fighters remain very controlled over Gaza. “
“Hamas tries to show Israel that he failed to destroy him, but also that the movement will have veto because of the future gauze going forward because neither is Israel, so [Palestinian Authority]Either the international community will be able to impose postconflict management or security arrangement, “Lovatt said.
Scenes during captured editions captured many fear, including Palestine in Gaza.
“I was very surprised when I saw the Qassam number [Hamas’s military wing] Fighters during the release of Israeli prisoners, “said Fathi al-Ladawi, 67, displaced from Rafah to Nuseiri in the central gauze and father of eight, for Al Jazeera.” The scope of strikes and bombing, especially in northern Gaza, made us think that we Hamas’s human and military resources were significantly exhausted.
“[Hamas] He managed to hold his hostages, who looked in good condition, and managed to negotiate and sign an agreement on the interruption of fire with the parties who swore to destroy him, ”Omar Rahman, an associate at the Global Affairs Council in the Middle East, said Al Jazeera.
According to Blinko’s statement, Hamas could also hire enough fighter to replace those he lost during the war.
The actual number of Hamas fighters killed during the war is hard to know for sure. Hamas claims to have lost between 6,000 and 7000 members from his armed and civilian wings, according to ECFR reportbased on an interview with two older Hamas members. But the report states, most of Hamas’ estimated 25,000 fighters are probably still alive and hiding.
Netanyahu claimed that 20,000 “terrorists” had been killed since November 2024, while Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi said that about 3,000 were killed between October 6, 2024 and a tribute. The UN Human Rights Office says that almost 70 percent of proven deaths in this period were Women and children.
“Only Hamas knows how many members of their military wing, Qassam Brigade, were killed,” said Hamze Attar, a Palestinian military analyst who is from Gaza, said Al Jazeera. “We see several posts that mourn relatives in a way that uses a language indicating that they fought, but Hamas didn’t announce anything.”
Hamas can maintain a ‘for many years’ rebellion
Among several recognized losses is a handful of Hamas leaders.
On the first day of the tribute on January 19, the spokesman of Hamas, known only as Abu Promida, held what he claimed to be a “speech about victory.” He honored some of the Hamas killed members, including Sinwar, whose death was recorded in October by Israeli drones; the leader of the political block Ismail Haniyehkilled in Tehran in late July; and Saleh al-Arourikilled in Lebanon in January 2024.
Attar pointed out that Abu Promida did not include his name Mohammed Deifan elusive character who was one of the founders of the Al-Qassam Brigade. Israel claimed that he killed Deifa in late July, but Hamas did not officially acknowledge death.
Among life includes a reported de facto chief of Hamas in Gaza, Mohammed Sinwar, the character of Israel considers the hard, well -dressed and more masters than his late brother, Yahya and Ezzedine Haddad, who in the north is overseen by Qassam Brigis Gaza.
Israeli specified goals also included the destruction of Hamas’s infrastructure, mostly his huge network of tunnels. However, according to Israeli media, the Hamas web of the tunnel is still large, although estimates of how much is still intact are significantly varying. Hamas members said ECFR that many tunnels were renovated or preserved and, in some cases, even expanded.
Hamas’s rocket Arsenal Israel could consume significantly. However, improvised and primitive rockets can be restored with an unexploded command that remains around the gauze.
Hamas recycls “Uniporaged Israeli rockets, bombs and artillery shells for use as improvised explosive devices and produce new missiles,” the ECFR report states.
Hamas’s adaptability as a combat force, it has developed over the years as a reaction to Israeli tactics against it, means that it has been built to take numerous blows and can still continue as an organization.
Hamas’s popularity
Hamas is not only a military organization, but has led the Gazan Gazan since 2006, when Fatah won the election.
And while Hamas’s popularity grew on the west coast, especially from the attack on southern Israel to southern Israel on October 7, 2023 in Gaza, some expressed their opinions on the group. However, the popularity of Hamas’s popularity was not greatly influenced by the Israeli war against Gaza, as suggested by the Palestinian Center for Politics and Research Research.
Opinions about the group are greatly different among the Palestinians in Gaza. The support of Hamas in Gaza was about 35 percent, according to the latest surveys in September 2024, which is a three -percentage score since June 2024.
Some criticisms attacked Hamas’s failure to anticipate a long and brutal response to the attack. Others claimed that Hamas had dragged them to war. The people from Gaza, who almost all lost their family, friends and their homes, did not ask them to be a part.
One of their critics was 45-year-old Wael Darwish, from Northern Nuseiirat.
“This was a disaster, not a victory,” he said. “We suffered the biggest disaster in history. If there are smaller triumphs, it is because of the resistance of people, not the hamas. “
“Although I do not deny the victims of the resistance, we are tired,” Darwish said. “The resistance must also consider their people. We spilled enough blood.”
“If Hamas stays in power, I’ll leave Gaza immediately,” he continued. “Many feel the same.”
Even before October 7, Hamas faced domestic opposition – including protests against the group policy. Some Palestinians in Gaza, however, said they had changed their opinion on the group for the last 15 months.
“I was happy to see people, their number and safety of the Hamas fighter,” said Fatima Shammali, 64, mother 11, for Al Jazeera. “Although I do not usually support Hamas, my support for them grew during the war because they managed to oppose a little, to the Israeli military Arsenal.”
Nihal Barakat, 43, an eight -year -old mother, who was displaced from Shati’s refugee camp in Nuseiirat, agreed. “I expect Hamas’s popularity to increase after this war,” she said. “As far as his strength is concerned, she remains intact and hope that he will be focused on the benefit of the people.”
“It is clear that many gazans are frustrated and angry at [Hamas]”Lovatt said. People were furious that Hamas did not think about the consequences of the attack on October 7th and failed to plan” an inevitable, disproportionate violent response against Gaza, “Lovatt added.
Lovatt said the critique of the group “felt in the Hamas itself”, especially among the moderate wing of the group. There were “a lot of criticism on [late Hamas leader] Works of Yahyya Sinwar and a few others who made a single decision, “said an analyst, based on his interviews for the ECFR report.
But even disapproval should not be considered by the approval of Israeli tactics or its occupation of Palestine, experts said.
“During the genocidal war against Gaza, people did not cooperate [with Israel] Because they are enemies and occupation, “said Attar, a military analyst.” It’s not about Hamas. It is an identity, resistance and continuity of Palestinian people. This is not because they love Hamas, but because they love Palestine. “
“The interest of our country must end. The world must stand with us to determine our destiny, “said Al-Ladawi, a displaced father for the eighth year.” Spare us from multiple war; We are exhausted. We should not be punished just because members of the Hamas, Fatah, are among us, [Palestinian Islamic] Jihad or any other faction. “
