Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Tuesday that thousands of Hamas fighters had been eliminated, according to the Times of Israel on November 8. The news sparked speculation about the number of Hamas's remaining fighters.
Hamas's dependence and the plight of civilians
The fact that Hamas relies on civilians in the Gaza Strip for the support of its power raises further questions about the number of civilians remaining in Gaza City.
The number of combatants in Hamas
Netanyahu noted that thousands of Hamas fighters have been eliminated, including those who planned and executed the October 7 operation, both on the ground and in a vast network of tunnels.
Air strikes by the Israeli army
He also mentioned that the Israeli army's ground operations have destroyed many command centers, positions and tunnels in Hamas, which are used to mobilize troops, stockpiles and launch attacks against the Israeli army.
Hamas's original military power
There are two estimates of the number of Hamas's armed forces: one is about 20,000, including between 6,000 and 7,000 regular combat forces and more than 10,000 members of paramilitary forces;Another estimate is that the total number of armed Hamas personnel is more than 40,000.
Hamas's attack on Israel
Some 3,000 Hamas members were involved in attacks on Israel during Operation Aqosa Flood on October 7, 1,400 of whom were killed and about 1,600 returned to the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Security Service has even set up a special hunt unit, vowing to punish every participant.
Hamas's Losses and Woes
Although the loss of thousands of people appears to have had a limited impact on Hamas's overall numbers, the greater the number of people is the greater the attrition as northern Gaza is under complete siege and unable to be restocked. As time goes on, the situation for Hamas will become more and more difficult, and the same applies to the civilians who remain in northern Gaza.
The civilian situation in Gaza City
Israel's initial evacuation order called for some 1.1 million Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip to evacuate south or be treated as Hamas militants and their sympathizers for 48 hours. More than 10 days have passed, and more than 200,000 civilians remain in Gaza City.
Netanyahu's call for the evacuation of civilians
Netanyahu once again called on the people of Gaza to move south, stressing that Israel will not stop acting. On Tuesday, thousands more people crossed the IDF-set evacuation corridor and joined more than 800,000 people on their way to southern Gaza.
The dilemma in northern Gaza
Fighting is raging in northern Gaza, and only 100 millilitres of drinking water is distributed per day. The more than 200,000 Palestinians remaining in the north face serious challenges to their survival.
The future of the war in Gaza
Netanyahu's vow to oust Hamas from Gaza has raised questions about the eventual outcome of the war in Gaza.