Hamas Ranks 'Depleted' As Israel Renews Fight To Save Hostages

As Israel entered its fourth day of attacks on Hamas in Gaza since the end of the ceasefire on Tuesday, reports suggest that the terrorist organization is struggling to regroup after its forces and rockets have been greatly diminished over the course of the 16-month war. Meanwhile, experts on the ground in the Jewish state say Israel will not relent until all of the hostages that remain in the clutches of Hamas are freed.

On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that "Arab intelligence officials believe that Hamas now has just 10% to 15% of the 20,000 projectiles it had when it attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023." In addition, new recruits are "young and poorly trained," and "their senior leadership is divided following the deaths last year of leader Yahya Sinwar and many of his top lieutenants." The Israeli military says that it has killed 20,000 Hamas terrorists.

As a result of Tuesday's strikes in Gaza, five senior members of Hamas were reportedly killed, including interior minister Mahmoud Abu Watfa as well as "high-ranking members of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad." Mohammed Sinwar, the younger brother of Yahya Sinwar and the current head of Hamas, is reportedly "struggling to cement control" of Gaza and is currently on the run from the Israeli military.

In the meantime, the saga continues for Israeli-American Edan Alexander and the 59 remaining hostages still held by Hamas, 35 of whom are believed to be dead. As explained by CBN News Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell, the Trump administration and Israel had worked tirelessly to get them released, before Hamas reneged on the ceasefire terms.

"There was an attempt by the mediators, including U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, to try to extend ... phase one ... where 33 hostages, both living and dead, were actually released by Hamas," he reported from Jerusalem during "Washington Watch" Wednesday. "That's what Israel wanted. That's what the United States wanted. But Hamas wanted an end to phase one and the withdrawal of all IDF troops, and Hamas would have remained in power. 

That was something that the United States and Israel was unwilling to do. ... Israel has taken over control of some of what's called the Netzarim Corridor that divides Gaza north and south. ... Prime Minister Netanyahu warned that the new policy of Israel is that they will negotiate under fire. In other words, the fighting will not stop even if Hamas comes back to the negotiating table."

Mitchell went on to relate that Israel has agreed to a new proposal from the U.S. for a 50-day ceasefire, in which half of the hostages would be released at the beginning and the remaining half at the end. Hamas, however, rejected the proposal. "The two sides are really not negotiating right now," he explained.

As to what is happening on the ground in Gaza, Mitchell highlighted how part of the reason for Israel's latest military strike was to thwart a potential terror attack. "They knew that there was going to be another attempt by Hamas, believe it or not, to go into some of the southern communities inside Israel. So they knew that was happening. They preemptively struck so that didn't happen."

Mitchell further detailed how Israel is attempting to warn civilians before initiating strikes. "People in Gaza are actually being given maps and leaflets to tell them to get out of harm's way," he said. "... The IDF has given out these maps as a way to make sure that these Gazans can get out of the combat zones and to spare civilian lives."

But as Mitchell observed, "Hamas, on the other hand, has been using their own people as human shields and using the deaths of many of these Palestinians as propaganda and then demonizing Israel. ... It's part of a Hamas playbook, as it were, for many, many years. They just put their civilians in harm's way and use their deaths as propaganda. ... Tragically, many times they don't or maybe are even prevented by Hamas to get out of harm's way. That's why many people are praying not only for the peace of Jerusalem and for the protection of IDF soldiers, but all those people that are caught in harm's way."

Mitchell concluded by acknowledging that despite some recent demonstrations within Israel protesting against the war effort, most Israelis are united in their concern for the remaining hostages.

"It's been a fine line ever since October 7th, and it's been gut-wrenching for Israelis," he described. "You know, the Israeli people are more like a family than anything, and they see each of these hostages as part of their extended family. They pray for them. They hope for them. They do what they can to advocate for their release. But how that happens is really the difference between many Israelis here."

Originally published at The Washington Stand