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Report: Hamas has replaced nearly all its war losses with recruiting spree

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Israeli intelligence pegged Hamas’ pre-war strength at roughly 25,000. Despite massive losses since October 7th, the terror group has nearly returned to its prior size.

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization has replaced a significant portion of its forces lost in combat with Israel since October 7th, according to reports by Israeli media outlets Wednesday.

According to estimates by the Israeli military, the Gaza-based group had roughly 25,000 men under arms in the coastal enclave prior to the October 7th, 2023 invasion of southwestern Israel.

Since then, the IDF estimates that between 17,000 to 20,000 Gaza terrorists have been killed, the vast majority of them from Hamas.

In addition, thousands more have been taken out of action because of wounds suffered during the war, while thousands of others have been captured by Israel.

More than 4,300 Gazans are being held by Israel, many of them Hamas operatives.

Despite Hamas’ significant losses, however, the terror group has effectively replenished its ranks, according to a report by Israel’s Channel 12.

Together with the much smaller Palestinian Islamic Jihad organization, the two terror groups now have between 20,000 to 23,000 men under arms in the Gaza Strip, the report said.

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A report published by The Jerusalem Post Wednesday night disputed Channel 12‘s figures, while confirming that Hamas has recruited thousands of new members.

According to the Post, Hamas’ military wing currently commands roughly 12,000 combatants.

The source cited by the Post also suggested that initial Israeli military estimates putting Hamas’ pre-war strength at 25,000 significantly underestimated the terror group’s size, suggesting that the figure was likely closer to 40,000.

However, the source emphasized that regardless of the number terrorists commanded by Hamas before the war or at present, there has been a notable decline in the quality of its forces, with large numbers of untrained teenagers filling Hamas’ ranks.

 

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