As a ceasefire brings a momentary peace to the devastated cities of Gaza, Hamas has emerged from its sheltered existence. The militant group has not only endured a grueling 15-month conflict with Israel—one of the most lethal and destructive episodes in modern history—but it also continues to exercise firm control over the coastal territory that now bears a striking resemblance to a dystopian wasteland. With the promise of a substantial influx of humanitarian aid as part of the ceasefire agreement, the Hamas-led administration announced their intention to manage the distribution of relief efforts to the desperate populace of Gaza.
Despite the considerable military resources that Israel deployed in their campaign against Hamas, their primary goal of displacing the group has not been achieved. This failure raises concerns about the likelihood of renewed hostilities, but observers note that the outcomes may not differ significantly from the past. On Sunday, during a dramatic exchange that saw three Israeli hostages transferred to the Red Cross, masked Hamas fighters adorned in green headbands and military uniforms paraded for cameras, conjuring a sense of control that masked considerable chaos.
The streets of Gaza bore witness to a surprising resurgence, as thousands of uniformed Hamas police reappeared, asserting their authority even amongst the most heavily scarred regions. “The police have maintained their presence all along, though they avoided wearing uniforms to reduce targeting by Israel,” stated Mohammed Abed, a resident who returned to Gaza City after being displaced for more than seven months. He noted that many police officers had been blending in among those displaced, which helped prevent thefts during the tumultuous period.
Local residents indicated that Hamas’ police forces had kept operational offices within hospitals and other secure spots throughout the conflict, allowing individuals to report crimes. Israeli authorities have routinely placed the blame for high civilian casualty rates and infrastructure destruction on Hamas, pointing to the militant group’s tendency to operate within civilian neighborhoods, schools, and hospitals.
Hamas has established itself as a deeply embedded entity within Palestinian society, supported by opinion polls that illustrate a minority of Palestinians explicitly advocating for its governance. Founded in the late 1980s, the group has become multifaceted, with an armed brigade, a political arm, media outlets, and charitable organizations. For decades, Hamas has operated as a robust insurgency, executing both guerrilla attacks on Israeli defenses and suicidal assaults on Israeli soil. Despite the loss of numerous high-ranking officials, the group’s structure has proven resilient as it adapted to changes by replacing leaders quickly. In the 2006 parliamentary elections, it gained significant political power and usurped control of Gaza from the Western-backed Palestinian Authority the following year.
Establishing a comprehensive governing framework, Hamas created ministries, police forces, and a civil service, which allowed it to take control effectively. The group dealt with Gaza’s prominent families and subdued rival factions, while also quelling dissent through forceful means.
Throughout four prior military encounters with Israel, Hamas strategically enhanced its military capabilities with assistance from Iran, extending its rocket range and fortifying its subterranean tunnels to evade Israeli airstrikes. By October 7, 2023, Hamas had amassed a formidable military force that included tens of thousands of soldiers organized into battalions. The triggering incursion that began the latest conflict resulted in an assault on southern Israel via multiple fronts, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities, predominantly among civilians, alongside the abduction of around 250 individuals.
In retaliation, Israel initiated an expansive air and ground offensive that has reportedly claimed over 47,000 Palestinian lives according to local health officials, turning entire neighborhoods into desolate landscapes. The humanitarian crisis has left almost 90% of Gaza’s residents displaced, often facing repeated evacuations.
Israeli military claims often highlighted the destruction of Hamas militants, asserting that they targeted commanders and dismantled relevant infrastructure. Reports indicate that the Israeli forces took down Hamas’ leading figure, Yahya Sinwar, along with numerous aides. However, leadership based outside Gaza appears to remain intact, with Mohammed Sinwar, Yahya’s brother, reportedly increasing his influence.
While the military asserts that they have decimated half of Hamas’ pre-conflict fighting force, they have not substantiated these claims with evidence. While Israeli strikes that were purportedly aimed at specific targets frequently resulted in civilian casualties, the displaced populations, now residing in makeshift tents, could become fertile ground for recruitment amongst the militant ranks.
Earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that Hamas had managed to attain nearly equivalent numbers of recruits to those lost throughout the warfare. Michael Milshtein, an Israeli expert on Palestinian issues, conveyed that while Hamas may not execute another large-scale assault similar to the one on October 7, the group has reverted to guerrilla tactics and innovative strategies, such as using unexploded Israeli munitions to create homemade explosives. “Hamas adapts to its environment remarkably well,” he stated.
Commentary on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian discord highlights that military solutions are unlikely to resolve the longstanding conflict, which has existed for decades even before Hamas emerged. Critics argue that Palestinians may be more inclined to distance themselves from Hamas if an alternate path to ending Israeli occupation were available. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration has systematically dismissed proposals for revamping the Palestinian Authority governance across both Gaza and parts of the occupied West Bank. This has hindered any progress toward statehood and perpetuated Israeli dominion over these lands.
Avi Issacharoff, a seasoned Israeli journalist, characterized Netanyahu’s lack of foresight for post-conflict planning as one of the war’s greatest shortcomings. He remarked, “Israel is awakening to the same nightmare from which it sought to escape, with Hamas still in control, intensifying its military buildup and recruitment.”
As the ceasefire nears its end, with Netanyahu signaling potential renewed military actions if objectives are unmet, and Hamas stating its unwillingness to free hostages without concrete treaties and Israeli troop withdrawals, the likelihood of re-escalation looms. Recent reports described the severe isolation of northern towns, where residents faced obstacles to humanitarian relief, as evacuation processes led to devastation across the region. Witnesses corroborated accounts of previous military engagements yielding minimal long-term outcomes, as localized militant regrouping continued.
When individuals returned to their neighborhoods, such as Jabaliya, they faced landscapes littered with debris, reminding them of the relentless destruction, while substantial numbers of Hamas personnel oversaw their re-entry.
