Israeli defense minister: Gaza is realizing that ‘Hamas’ path has failed’

Gaza said Israel’s strategy is to prevent Hamas from restoring its military capabilities by targeting its infrastructure, commanders, and ability to rearm.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday that public opinion in Gaza is turning away from Hamas, pointing to a new Palestinian survey showing limited support for “armed resistance.”

“Gaza is already realizing Hamas’s path has failed,” Katz said, citing a poll by the Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC).

The survey, released on September 8, found that 9.7% of respondents in Gaza identified “armed resistance” as the best means of achieving Palestinian national goals.

The figure was 15.7% in Judea and Samaria, with 13.3% across the Palestinian population surveyed.

By contrast, 55.8% of respondents said peaceful negotiations were the best approach, compared with 28% in September 2023, while support for armed resistance has fallen from 37.1% at that time, according to the survey.

Katz said the results do not indicate a pro-Israel shift but rather reflect Palestinians responding to the consequences of the war.

“They haven’t become Zionists; they are reading the reality,” he said.

He said Israel’s strategy is to prevent Hamas from restoring its military capabilities by targeting its infrastructure, commanders, and ability to rearm.

Katz added that Israel would continue its campaign until it achieves its security objectives and prevents a repeat of the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.