Hamas may be on its last legs as Israel’s weakening of Iran and arming of rival clans in the Gaza Strip threatens to choke the fight out of the militant group, Reuters reported Friday.
Hamas has lost much of its top-level leadership, struggles with a collapsing tunnel network and faces potential abandonment from its most powerful ally in Tehran after the Israeli and U.S. strikes on the Islamic Republic, according to Reuters. President Donald Trump instituted a ceasefire between Iran and Israel June 23, paving the way for Israel to refocus its efforts to destroy Hamas.
“They’re hiding because they are being instantly hit by planes but they appear here and there, organizing queues in front of bakeries, protecting aid trucks or punishing criminals,” a construction worker in Gaza City told Reuters regarding Hamas’ recent activities. “They’re not like before the war, but they exist.”
Hamas’ strength has dropped off considerably, with the militant group even reportedly struggling to pay its own fighters as supplies dwindle. Israel is working toward the eventual objective of achieving total control over the Gaza Strip and denying Hamas the ability to ever regain control of the territory again.
Hamas is seemingly treading water in terms of numbers, adding just about enough fighters to make up for their losses since the start of the war, Reuters reported in January. Israel has taken out Hamas leaders repeatedly during the course of the war, most recently assassinating Mohammed Sinwar in May.
Israel also recently decided to start arming rival clans in the Gaza Strip as a means of indirectly fighting Hamas.
The Israel-Hamas war has raged for nearly two years after the Islamic militant group launched its Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, killing nearly 1,200 people while taking 240 hostages. Many of the hostages have either been returned during a brief ceasefire from January to March, or died in captivity.
Israel resumed military action in the Gaza Strip on March 18 after two U.S. proposals for hostage releases were reportedly shot down by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has faced considerable international pressure to end the war, but has so far continued to pursue the conflict in Gaza.
Iran has taken a massive hit since Israel began its strikes on the nation on June 12, with numerous airstrikes taking out key Iranian leadership, weapons and logistics centers while targeting the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and top nuclear scientists. President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on June 21, later saying that the bombing runs “obliterated” Tehran’s nuclear ambitions.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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