After 20 months of fighting, Israel has largely destroyed the Hamas army in Gaza. Ongoing IDF strikes and ground operations transformed the terror group from an organized military force into a ragtag militia and shadow of its former self.
Urban warfare expert John Spencer, writing on X, detailed the stunning collapse of the Hamas military structure. He noted that on October 7, Hamas had five brigades, 24 battalions, and 30,000-40,000 trained fighters, boasting an arsenal of 20,000 rockets and full control of Gaza.
At the time, Hamas was capable of launching coordinated attacks and arranging an organized defensive posture. Today, it has lost these capabilities, reduced to a disorganized guerrilla force of untrained, mostly teenage recruits. [here’s a report on Hamas’ shattered weapons industry]
Moreover, the IDF’s relentless campaign has obliterated the Hamas command hierarchy. Researcher Orit Perlov says that, except for Gaza Brigade commander Izz al-Din Haddad, Israel has eliminated nearly all of Hamas’ leadership, including virtually all brigade and battalion commanders, Gaza police chiefs, and the head of Hamas internal security.
Overall, this decapitation strategy has crippled the group’s ability to function as a cohesive military entity. In parallel, Hamas’ arsenal of rockets has been significantly depleted, and its territorial control has largely evaporated.
Israel’s military campaign, conducted in the dense urban terrain of Gaza, showcased the IDF’s precision and resolve in countering a deeply entrenched enemy. In the process, Israel gained invaluable urban combat experience and significantly upgraded its tunnel warfare capabilities.
In the bottom line, while Hamas retains some capacity for sporadic guerrilla attacks, its ability to wage organized warfare has been effectively neutralized.
The group’s current reliance on inexperienced recruits signals a desperate attempt to cling to relevance amid devastating losses. Any prospects of recovery remain grim, as the Gaza terror base lies in ruins.