(Times of Israel) Lazar Berman - With a significant portion of its fighting force dead or wounded, Hamas still appears to have the ability to function as a coherent organization, and would likely be able to reassert control over Gaza if Israel left. Yet for some time now, the IDF has not been using anything resembling "all its strength." Earlier this month, the IDF announced it was pulling the last reserve unit out of Gaza, leaving only regular army units to continue the fight. At the height of the war, five divisions were fighting simultaneously in Gaza, with 10,000-20,000 soldiers each. Now only two divisions are still fighting, both in much smaller numbers than earlier in the war. For almost two months, the fighting in Gaza has looked more like a military operation than a full-fledged war. Hamas leaders are no doubt encouraged by Israel's shrinking offensive. They know they have weathered the worst of Israel's military pressure, and believe they have survived with enough of their force intact to regroup. All they have to do is outlast Israel. At the same time, even though Hamas rears its head wherever it can, it is not currently in control of Gaza. Its forces remain pinned underground.
2024-02-23 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive