Despite heavy losses, Hamas has shown remarkable resilience, replenishing its ranks and posing a continued threat. The lack of a comprehensive postwar plan for Gaza, the lingering conflict, and the rise of young recruits driven by revenge and hardship paint a complex and uncertain future for the region.
Although the end of the war could be in sight, Israel , the US, its Western allies, Arab nations and the Palestinian Authority have failed to draw up a detailed postwar plan for Gaza which would exclude Hamas . Hamas ’s civil administration and police have been wiped out, resulting in anarchy. But Hamas ’ military wing remains a potent force and must be demobilised.
Despite the significant damage inflicted on Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has acknowledged that the terrorist organization’s military capabilities have been renewed. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken admitted this week that Hamas’s military wing has recruited as many fighters as it had lost since its October 2023 attack on Israel. The Israeli army’s most recent figure for Hamas and Islamic Jihad dead was 17,000 to 20,000 out of a combined troop strength of 20,000-23,000. However, The Jerusalem Post reported on January 1st that the number was closer to 12,000 and that Hamas’s forces are being renewed. It quoted a source who said the quality of the new recruits was “far inferior” to the original fighters as “many of them are untrained minors”.These youths may want vengeance because their families are decimated, they are homeless, and their futures are bleak. Their trauma and thirst for revenge will have to be addressed. Netanyahu has resorted to negotiations to achieve his second war aim: the release of the remaining Israeli hostages taken into Gaza. While Netanyahu’s third war aim was to enable the return of 200,000 Israelis to southern and northern communities abandoned during the Gaza war, this is unlikely until Gaza has been pacified by political means and an administration acceptable to Palestinians has been installed. This is unlikely to happen without the agreement of Hamas. A December poll showed that 55 per cent of Palestinians respect Hamas due to its resistance to Israeli occupation, which they see as the only route to a Palestinian state.Hamas emerged during the first Intifada of 1987-1993, when protests broke out in the West Bank and Gaza and developed into a sustained uprising. The movement was an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood, which had established itself in Gaza in the 1950s by building mosques and founding welfare organisations which Hamas inherited. In competition with the secular Fatah political party which dominated the Palestinian national movement, Hamas drew up a charter and built a military wing to resist Israel’s occupation. Hamas opposed the 1993 Oslo accords which failed to end the occupation and produce a Palestinian state. The second intifada erupted in 2000, during which both Hamas and Fatah mounted gun and bomb attacks in Israel. This ended in 2005 and, a year later, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections, prompting Fatah to exclude it from governance. In 2007, Hamas seized control of Gaza from repressive Fatah security agencies. Israel responded by allowing Qatar to fund Hamas, in order to divide Gaza from the West Bank. Israel then launched wars on Gaza in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2021 and 2023. A December poll conducted by Palestine-based Arab World for Research and Development showed that only 7 per cent of Gazans support Hamas’ political agenda, but that 55 per cent respect Hamas due to its resistance to Israeli occupation, which they see as the only route to a Palestinian state. Most Palestinians back a Palestinian-led postwar arrangement for Gaza and the West Bank, rather than governance by the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority, which is seen as corrupt and compromised by its security co-operation with Israel.
Hamas Gaza Israel Postwar Palestinian Authority Political Settlement Security Intifada Oslo Accords
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Israel-Hamas Reach Gaza Ceasefire Agreement with Prisoner SwapA ceasefire agreement has been reached between Israel and Hamas, ending the recent conflict in Gaza. The deal includes a phased prisoner exchange, with Hamas agreeing to release 33 Israeli hostages and Israel releasing Palestinian detainees in return.
Read more »
Israel Delays Gaza Ceasefire Approval as Hamas Dispute ArisesIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office has postponed the Cabinet meeting to approve the Gaza ceasefire deal until Hamas fulfills its commitments. Netanyahu's office accuses Hamas of attempting to extract additional concessions at the last moment. The Israeli Cabinet was initially scheduled to ratify the deal on Thursday, following its announcement by US President Joe Biden and Qatar as a key mediator. The agreement, which aims to release 33 hostages over six weeks in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli withdrawal from certain Gaza territories, faces a setback due to ongoing tensions.
Read more »
At Least 25 Killed in Israeli Airstrikes on Gaza, Including 15 in Gaza City HouseAt least 25 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on the besieged Gaza Strip, including 15 people in a single house in Gaza City. The Israeli military said it targeted a Hamas stronghold in the northern Gaza Strip, but Palestinian officials accused Israel of attacking civilian infrastructure, including hospitals. The strikes came amid a broader Israeli offensive to clear out the northern edge of the Gaza Strip.
Read more »
Israel approves delegation for Gaza ceasefire talks in DohaAmid escalating violence in Gaza, Israel has approved a delegation to resume ceasefire talks in Doha. The move comes after deadly Israeli air strikes killed at least 43 Palestinians, including key Hamas officials, and caused widespread destruction in Al-Mawasi and other areas. The Israeli military justified the strikes, claiming to target Hamas militants in command and control centers, while Palestinian officials condemned the attacks as a violation of civilian areas designated as humanitarian zones. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) expressed deep concern over the escalating civilian casualties and lack of safe zones in Gaza.
Read more »
Israeli Airstrikes Kill at Least 20 in Gaza Amid Ceasefire TalksIsraeli air strikes have killed at least 20 people in Gaza, including eight in a designated humanitarian zone. The Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza City, which was receiving aid from Israel, was damaged in the attacks. Tensions are high as gaps between Israel and Hamas over a possible Gaza ceasefire have narrowed, according to Israeli and Palestinian officials. Mediators Egypt, Qatar, and the United States are working to end the fighting and release Israeli and foreign hostages.
Read more »
Gaza Violence Escalates: 10 Killed in Israeli Strike, Ceasefire Talks StallAt least 10 people, including five journalists, were killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a vehicle carrying members of the Islamic Jihad militant group. The Gaza health ministry reports over 45,000 Palestinian deaths since the start of the Israeli offensive on October 7th. Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas have stalled despite reported progress. Key sticking points include the exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners and the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza.
Read more »