Israel has eliminated only around a third of the Hamas terrorists and tunnels in Gaza since the start of the war on Oct. 7, Politico reported on Tuesday, citing U.S. intelligence estimates.
“Although Hamas’ communications and military abilities have been degraded, only 30 to 35 percent of its fighters—those who were a part of Hamas before the Oct. 7 attack—have been killed and about 65 percent of its tunnels are still intact, U.S. intelligence indicates,” the Virginia-based news outlet stated.
According to Western officials, thousands of Hamas terrorists have been able to evade the Israel Defense Forces by hiding in Gaza’s vast subterranean tunnel network, while others have mixed into the civilian population.
Gen. Joseph Votel (ret.), who headed U.S. Central Command during the peak of fighting with the Islamic State, was one of several former top officials quoted by the publication who were critical of Jerusalem’s war strategy. He urged the Israeli government to consider long-term plans for the Strip and its population.
“Everybody gets the fact that you have to destroy Hamas … , but then what?” asked Votel.
“What’s the plan to take care of the 2.5 million Palestinians that are left behind? What’s the plan to deal with the remainder of the Hamas fighters? It seems incomplete and I just don’t think that they have communicated or have thought through that as well as I would’ve hoped they would’ve.”
