Hamas Retains Control of Gaza After 15 Months of War and Destruction

As a ceasefire calmed the devastated cities of Gaza, Hamas quickly resurfaced from the destruction. Despite enduring 15 months of intense conflict with Israel, the militant group remains in control of the coastal region, now resembling a wasteland. With humanitarian aid promised as part of the ceasefire agreement, the Hamas-led administration announced plans to manage its distribution to Gaza's needy population.

Israel's military efforts in Gaza aimed to dislodge Hamas from power but fell short. This failure could lead to renewed hostilities, with similar outcomes likely. On Sunday, during the handover of three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, masked Hamas fighters paraded before cameras, holding back crowds that gathered around their vehicles.

Hamas' Resilience and Influence

Elsewhere in Gaza, thousands of uniformed Hamas police reappeared, asserting their presence even in heavily damaged areas. "The police have been here the whole time," said Mohammed Abed, a father of three who returned to his home in Gaza City after seven months. "They were among the displaced people in the tents. That's why there were no thefts," he added.

Residents reported that police maintained offices in hospitals and other locations throughout the conflict for crime reporting. Israel has blamed Hamas for civilian casualties and infrastructure damage due to their fighters embedding within residential areas, schools, and hospitals.

Hamas' Deep Roots

Despite only minority support among Palestinians according to polls, Hamas remains deeply entrenched in Palestinian society. The group, which does not recognise Israel's existence, has an armed wing, political party, media outlets, and charities dating back to its founding in the late 1980s. It has functioned as a well-organised insurgency for decades.

Hamas won a landslide victory in 2006 parliamentary elections and seized control of Gaza from the Palestinian Authority in 2007. Since then, it has established a government with ministries and police forces while silencing dissent and dispersing protests violently.

The Recent Conflict

In response to a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, Israel launched an air and ground offensive that killed over 47,000 Palestinians according to local health officials. The war displaced about 90% of Gaza's population multiple times. Israeli forces claimed to have killed over 17,000 fighters but provided no evidence.

Despite targeting strikes on militants, civilian casualties were high. Survivors living in tents after losing their homes became potential recruits for Hamas. Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that Hamas recruited nearly as many fighters as it lost during the war.

No Alternative Path

Critics argue there is no military solution to the Mideast conflict that predates Hamas by decades. They believe Palestinians might break with Hamas if offered an alternative path to end Israel's occupation. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood and rejected proposals for a reformed Palestinian Authority governing both Gaza and parts of the West Bank.

Avi Issacharoff described Netanyahu's lack of planning for post-war governance as a major failure. "Israel is waking up from a nightmare into the very same nightmare," he wrote. "Hamas is going to remain in power without any local alternative emerging."

The Future Outlook

Netanyahu threatened to resume hostilities if Israel's goals are unmet after six weeks of ceasefire while Hamas demands a lasting truce and Israeli withdrawal from Gaza for releasing remaining captives. Another military campaign may not yield different results.

In early October, Israeli forces sealed off northern towns like Beit Lahiya and Jabaliya, restricting aid and forcing evacuations while destroying structures including schools. Despite previous operations in these areas, militants regrouped quickly.

When residents returned to Jabaliya on Sunday, they found widespread devastation with few buildings standing amid rubble. Dozens of Hamas police monitored their return.