Remnants are possible: Israel has assessed the military potential of Hamas

Hamas still has a small missile arsenal, despite almost two years of fighting with Israel, the IDF told Izvestia. According to a source in the Cabinet of the Jewish state, by the beginning of the conflict, the movement had several tens of thousands of rockets, most of which were destroyed during the military campaign. However, the remaining remnants of weapons continue to pose a threat. Meanwhile, the ceasefire negotiations have reached an impasse: the mediators have suspended contacts, and the Hamas delegation has left Doha. The key condition for the United States to reach an agreement was the disarmament of the movement, the renunciation of power and the departure of its leadership from the sector. Against this background, Israel is considering the possibility of intensifying operations in the exclave, as well as discussing the annexation of certain areas of it.

Hamas is still capable of striking Israel

Some of Hamas' rocket arsenal still remains in the hands of the movement, despite months of Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in the Gaza Strip. This was reported to Izvestia by a source in the Israeli government. According to him, by the time the war began, Hamas had "several tens of thousands" of rockets that posed a threat to almost the entire territory of Israel. Since then, a significant part has been destroyed, but the remnants of weapons continue to pose a danger.

The IDF confirmed to Izvestia that Hamas retains a small missile potential.

— They certainly have a small missile potential. We haven't gone through all the houses and sandy areas of Gaza yet. But this is an insignificant potential. They are still capable of occasionally firing at areas adjacent to the sector, firing one or two rockets each," IDF spokeswoman Anna Ukolova told Izvestia.

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The last such attempt was recorded on July 26: one rocket was fired from the territory of Gaza, sirens went off in one of the settlements near the exclave.

The military arsenal is not the only reason for Israel's concern. The negotiation process on a ceasefire and the return of hostages has reached an impasse. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of "stubbornness" that prevents an agreement from being reached.

Amid the crisis in negotiations, the Hamas delegation left Doha, and the Qatari and Egyptian mediators suspended contacts between the parties. According to sources of the Al-Hadath TV channel, "no negotiations are visible on the horizon." Instead, the Jewish state began discussing other scenarios, including the partial annexation of the Gaza Strip.

Israeli officials confirmed to the Times of Israel that there are several options for breaking the impasse, including establishing direct administrative control over certain areas of the exclave. US President Donald Trump also said that "the fight must now be conducted in a different way," and supported the idea of military pressure on Hamas.

While the military and political circles in Israel are discussing the fate of Gaza, the humanitarian situation in it is rapidly deteriorating. According to the local Ministry of Health, since the beginning of the conflict, the death toll has exceeded 60 thousand. The international community is increasing pressure on Israel, demanding an easing of the blockade and a cessation of hostilities.

Earlier this week, the EU proposed restricting Israel's access to the Horizon research program, and the Netherlands banned two Israeli ministers, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben—Gvir, from entering the country, calling the situation in Gaza "unbearable and unjustified." At the same time, a number of Western countries, including France and Britain, are considering the possibility of recognizing a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly session in September.

Humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip

Amid mounting international criticism, Israel has imposed 10-hour "humanitarian pauses" in several areas of the strip. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these measures has been questioned. According to the report, of the 130 humanitarian trucks sent to Gaza, 73 were looted in the area of the Morag corridor — between Rafah and Khan Yunis. Only 37 vehicles reached the warehouses of the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Egyptian Relief Committee. Another 20 trucks were returned to the border crossing for unknown reasons.

Some help was delivered from the air. The Israeli army said that in cooperation with the UAE, Jordan and Egypt, joint humanitarian aid drops were carried out in the north and south of the sector. A total of 52 pallets were delivered, each weighing about a ton.

Palestinian security expert Mohammed Al-Masri noted that the key obstacle in the negotiations remains not the humanitarian aspect or the withdrawal of Israeli troops, but the fate of the Hamas movement itself. According to him, the US administration, led by Donald Trump, insists on the complete disarmament of the group, its abdication of power and the departure of a significant part of the leadership from the Gaza Strip.

— This is a crucial moment in all the discussions and the reason for the difficulties. Now it's not just about a cease-fire, but about the future of Hamas in the Palestinian issue. Therefore, it would be easier and more logical for Hamas itself to transfer the negotiations to the Palestine Liberation Organization," the expert emphasized in an interview with Izvestia.

The American administration has made it clear to the mediators that it is ready to act as a guarantor of the ceasefire. But only on condition that Hamas completely renounces armed resistance and political control in Gaza.

According to Al-Masri, the United States gave Israel the "green light" to continue military operations, while limiting the scope of the operation in order to prevent mass starvation among the Palestinians. This, he said, explains the periodic humanitarian actions, including the airlift of food and the admission of a limited number of humanitarian trucks to the sector.

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Meanwhile, another initiative is being discussed in Israeli society — the return to the construction of Jewish settlements in Gaza. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said on July 29 that the idea of reviving settlements was not only relevant, but also "realistic." "I don't want to just go back to Gush Katif - it was too small. The new project should be much broader and more ambitious," he stressed.

We are talking about settlements that existed before 2005, when Israel conducted a unilateral withdrawal from the strip. At that time, about 8.5 thousand Israelis were evacuated. Today, there is a growing sentiment in right-wing circles in favor of reconsidering this decision and a "new presence" in Gaza.

Against this background, the prospects for resuming negotiations look extremely vague. Washington, which had previously been actively involved in mediation, announced its readiness to seek "alternative ways" to free the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza — an estimated 50 people, 20 of whom are believed to be alive.