‘Hamas no longer exists as a military force,’ declares Israel’s defense minister

The Gaza terror group has been degraded to the level of a guerrilla force and is no longer a ‘military formation,’ says Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization has been degraded to the level of a “guerrilla” force and no longer constitutes an organized military “formation,” Israel’s security chief declared Monday according to the AFP.

Speaking with foreign journalists at a press briefing at IDF headquarters in the Kirya in Tel Aviv, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud) said that Israel had secured a “strategic opportunity” by significantly compromising Hamas’ fighting capabilities, suggesting the time was ripe for a deal with the terror group to bring the remaining 101 Israeli captives home, calling it “the right thing to do.”

“Israel should achieve an agreement that will bring about a pause for six weeks and bring back hostages,” Gallant added.

“Hamas as a military formation no longer exists. Hamas is engaged in guerrilla warfare and we are still fighting Hamas terrorists and pursuing Hamas leadership.”

“Achieving an agreement is also a strategic opportunity that gives us a high chance to change the security situation on all fronts,” Gallant continued, alluding to the simmering conflict on Israel’s northern frontier against Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed forces.

In July, the IDF said that it had eliminated over half of Hamas’ military leadership in the Gaza Strip, and that over 14,000 terrorists from Hamas’ armed wing – the Al-Qassam Brigades – had been killed out of roughly 30,000 to 40,000 combatants the terror group is estimated to have had under arms at the beginning of the war.

A month later, Israel’s military said the number of terrorists killed in combat in Gaza had risen to 17,000, or nearly half of the roughly 40,000 fatalities the Hamas-controlled Gaza health ministry claims were reported during the war.