War in the Middle East

Israel: “Hamas has lost its fighting spirit!”

Hamas fighters(Bild: AFP)

Israel's Defense Minister Joav Galant is convinced that the fighting spirit of the Islamist Hamas militias in the Gaza Strip has been broken after more than four months of war. "200 terrorists surrendered (in Khan Younis) in the Nasser hospital, dozens more in the Amal hospital," Galant said on Sunday. "This shows that Hamas has lost its fighting spirit," he added.

Moreover, the Hamas leadership under its Gaza chief Jihia al-Sinwar, which is hiding from the Israeli security forces, has lost contact with the outside world. "The Gaza branch of Hamas is not responding," said Galant. "There is no one left on the ground to talk to."

Organized armed forces are dwindling
Hamas now only has organized forces in the central Gaza Strip and in Rafah, the southern border town with Egypt. Should the army decide to take action there, "there will be no one to help them - no Iranians and no international support".

Israel prepares offensive in Rafah
Galant met the commanders of the units fighting in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army has been fighting Hamas in the southern city of Khan Younis for several weeks. It is also preparing an operation in Rafah.

Rafah(Bild: AFP)

Military action in the southernmost city of the Gaza Strip is highly controversial because 1.3 million Palestinians, most of whom have fled the fighting in other parts of the coastal region, are crowded into a very small area.