Political and military analysts agreed that the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip will not achieve its strategic goals, and stressed the failure of the military option and the necessity of moving towards a diplomatic solution despite the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This came in the program “Gaza… What's Next?” to comment on a joint American research report that said that half of the Qassam Brigades – the military wing of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) – had rebuilt its capabilities despite the passage of 10 months since the war.
According to military and strategic expert Brigadier General Elias Hanna, Al-Qassam has reorganized some of its battalions, and has re-engineered the war theater to focus on the weak points of the occupation army by fighting from zero distance and not seeking a decisive battle.
Hanna pointed out that this type of war cannot be won, as Hamas relies on overwhelming the Israeli army, while Israel has failed in its policy of striking the movement's centers of gravity in order to collapse its regime.
He pointed out that the war has changed in its characteristics, “therefore producing field leaders who are experienced in fighting,” and that Israel's principle of killing and destruction has brought the people of Gaza closer to the resistance.
“Resistance is stronger”
In turn, political and strategic affairs researcher Saeed Ziad says that everyone now realizes that the resistance has become stronger, citing statements by the spokesman for the occupation army, Daniel Hagari, that Hamas is an idea and an idea never dies, in addition to other statements by leaders of security and military agencies.
Ziad explained that the resistance does not only have the ability to recruit, but also manufactures weapons and fills their stockpiles, in addition to its renewed tactical capabilities, which places an additional burden on Israel.
According to Ziad, the resistance relied on manufacturing its weapons to deal with armored vehicles, referring to the “Yassin 105” shells and the explosive devices used in the guerrilla war, stressing that the resistance's ability to fill the tank is much higher than Israel's ability to empty it, especially with the remnants of the occupation and the abandoned ammunition.
Regarding what the American report mentioned about the destruction of some of the Qassam Brigades, the spokesman ruled that out, citing the ongoing fighting in Beit Hanoun in the north and the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood in Gaza, stressing that all the brigades are working, but to varying degrees.
He pointed out that Hamas's resources had put 1,500 Israeli military vehicles out of service, and more than 10,000 Israeli soldiers out of service, either dead or wounded, adding that Israel had misjudged the strength of the resistance and the ability of Gazan society to withstand.
He concluded that Israel had fought the largest war in its history and had come to realize that the resistance could not be defeated after it had failed to displace the Gazans.
“No strategic success”
For his part, diplomat and former US Department of Defense official Adam Clements described the research report as important, stressing that the circumstances allow Hamas to reshape its combat capabilities and recruit fighters in the long term.
Clements pointed out that Netanyahu's government can say that it has achieved tactical successes embodied in the assassination of leaders in Hamas and Hezbollah, but it has not achieved strategic success.
He stressed the importance of reaching a political solution, reshaping the economy in Gaza, and building institutions in order to begin the reconstruction process, while taking into account all the conditions existing in Gaza before the conflict.
He concluded that the massive destruction in Gaza is pushing Hamas to challenge and mobilize more fighters, noting that there is a deep-rooted state of hostility between Israel and the Palestinians, which is frustrating any military plans to confront any “rebellion movements.”