Hamas Retains Significant Strength Despite War Losses

Nearly three years after the October 7th attacks, Hamas, while severely damaged, remains a potent force in Gaza. The organization has suffered significant casualties but continues to maintain its infrastructure and personnel. Estimates suggest Hamas still possesses between 25,000 and 30,000 armed fighters, including new recruits.

Hamas is actively preserving and reinforcing its tunnel network, particularly in areas beyond the Gaza envelope. The group also operates lathe facilities to produce rockets in areas where the IDF has not operated and within population centers. While rocket launches are currently limited due to fear of Israeli retaliation, the production capability persists.

The organization is also working to maintain its weapons stockpiles, recently distributing arms to supporters who are not official members. This is seen as an effort to ensure weapons remain available to its loyalists even if Hamas is eventually required to surrender its armaments.

Furthermore, Hamas continues to smuggle weapons from Egypt using drones. Although the scale of these operations is unknown, their continuation indicates the group's ongoing efforts to rebuild its capabilities.

The overall picture is of an organization that has sustained heavy blows but still commands tens of thousands of fighters, underground infrastructure, local production capacity, and avenues for rearmament. Alongside ongoing military and intelligence operations, observers note the absence of a political initiative to complement military pressure and shape Gaza's future.

The "October Council" criticized the continued rearmament of Hamas, stating, "Three years in which they promised us that Hamas would be dismantled, that the threat would be removed, and that what was, would be no more." The council called for the disclosure of protocols and decisions related to the war and efforts to prevent Hamas's rebuilding.