“`html
Hamas Resilience: Two years of Conflict and the Shifting Landscape in Gaza
Table of Contents
Despite two years of intense military pressure from Israel,Hamas remains a potent force,defying predictions of its imminent collapse. While facing critically important setbacks, the militant group has demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt, regroup, and maintain command and control, even as Israeli leaders continue to assert their commitment to “total victory.”
The Toll of Two Years of Fighting
Prior to the October 7,2023,attacks led by Hamas that resulted in nearly 1,200 deaths in Israel,the group was estimated to comprise between 25,000 and 30,000 fighters.Over the ensuing two years, various Israeli security sources have claimed to have killed between 17,000 and 23,000 Hamas militants.However, these figures remain contested, with many observers suggesting the actual number is considerably lower due to a lack of verifiable evidence provided by the Israeli military.
Detailed reports from the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on militant fatalities, accounting for specifics on timeframes, locations, and operations, accounted for approximately 8,500 deaths as of October 2024, according to the US-based conflict monitor, the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED). This figure includes militants from all Palestinian armed groups, not solely Hamas.
The conflict has also inflicted a devastating toll on Gaza’s civilian population. Over 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, a figure that includes a significant number of women and children. The vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been displaced, and the territory’s infrastructure has been largely destroyed.
Continued Military Capabilities
Despite the extensive bombardment and ground operations, Hamas has demonstrated its continued capabilities by launching rockets in September 2025 and orchestrating complex attacks on Israeli soldiers, including an attempted kidnapping in Khan Younis in August 2025.
Observers note that even in areas declared “cleared” by the israeli army, small Hamas groups frequently reappear, suggesting the continued existence of the group’s extensive tunnel network, which facilitates surprise attacks and provides cover for hostages.
Expanding Influence Beyond Gaza
Evidence suggests Hamas has also increased its activity in the occupied west Bank after nearly 15 years of relative quiet, though other militant Palestinian groups remain at the forefront of violence there. This expansion of influence demonstrates the group’s ability to project power beyond its conventional stronghold.
The Question of Civilian Governance
The extent of Hamas’s control over Gaza’s civilian infrastructure remains a subject of debate. while the group continues to operate a military wing engaged in active conflict, it previously managed the coastal enclave’s civilian government since 2007, overseeing essential services like hospitals, policing, and sanitation.
Some analysts beleive hamas’s civilian branch has adapted,establishing a plainclothes police force and an informal system of cash payments to civil servants.However, this system is facing challenges as the funds Hamas had stockpiled for emergencies begin to dwindle. The Israeli military has also increasingly targeted individuals and facilities linked to Hamas’s governance in an attempt to weaken its civil control, according to ACLED. Reports from late september indicate that aid agencies had limited contact with Hamas officials as March, rather coordinating with other community groups. Analysts at the International Crisis Group have noted an increasing absence of Hamas officials from public duties, attributed to both the ongoing conflict and fear of targeted attacks.
A Collapsing Society?
Recent reports paint a grim picture of the situation within Gaza. A former officer with Gaza’s internal security forces told the BBC that Hamas had lost control of almost all of gaza, with criminal gangs and clans filling the security vacuum and society experiencing total collapse. Furthermore, Hamas is facing increased internal rivalry, with reports suggesting Israel is deliberately supporting anti-Hamas groups in Gaza, including organizations linked to drug smuggling and aid looting.
The Elusive goal of Total Victory
Many observers agree that completely eliminating Hamas is likely unattainable, and weakening the group represents the most realistic outcome for Israel. “Hamas has… prioritized survival over direct confrontation,” ACLED reported in September, reflecting the group’s belief that survival itself constitutes a form of victory.
As Hans-Jakob Schindler, an expert at the International Center for counter-Terrorism, recently stated, “Hamas is an ideology. You cannot destroy an ideology. You can [only] degrade its military and terrorist capabilities.”
Despite a new wave of bombing launched by the Israeli army on Gaza City as mid-
