Israeli newspaper says dismantling Hamas not on govt agenda because it’s not a realistic goal

Fighters of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, display their combat weapons in Maghazi camp July 19, 2023 [Ahmed Hasaballah/Getty Images]

Dismantling the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, is not on the Israeli government’s agenda at all, simply because it is not a realistic goal, according to Israeli newspaper Maariv.

“Hamas still has a fighting force comprising a significant number of members, some of whom are organised into brigades and battalions,” it pointed out. “Hamas operates based on a guerrilla warfare creed, and this complicates the Israeli army’s mission.”

An Israeli military analyst said that the occupation army’s activity against Hamas tunnels is like trying to empty the sea with a spoon, noting that the fighting in Gaza poses a complex challenge for Israel.

Maariv military analyst Avi Ashkenazi added that there are tens of thousands of other undiscovered tunnels in the northern part of the strip alone, claiming, “Wherever you step, there’s a tunnel.”

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