Evidence from the battlefield in Gaza reveals that Hamas morale has been dealt a significant blow, causing many terrorists to retreat southward in Gaza, abandoning guns after clashes with IDF soldiers.

Reasons for this decline in morale among Hamas terrorists include the IDF’s successful elimination of senior officials, a lack of supplies, and difficulties in carrying out attacks.

Field officers report that after the IDF successfully targeted Hamas brigade, battalion, and company commanders, the terrorist group’s armed wing struggled to execute attacks against Israeli forces infiltrating terrorist strongholds. The IDF’s control in northern Gaza and Gaza City, with established defensive fortifications, outposts, and supply sites, aims to hinder rocket refueling and road construction in Palestinian territory.

Reports also mention the IDF installing mezuzahs in Gazan houses temporarily seized for operational purposes.

[We can certainly hope this is the case, but we’ll see. Hamas may have made the same fatal error that many have made before — strategizing based on the last war rather than the next one. The IDF has clearly updated its strategy and tactics since 2014’s ground warfare, and has vastly improved its intelligence, even accounting for 10/7. Hamas relied on the “unified battlefield” strategy that promised a three-front war for Israel with Hezbollah and Syria attacking, but that never materialized, and Hamas is now badly outmatched. The pause may be more beneficial to Hamas to restore some order in the ranks, but a few days probably won’t be enough to create new lines of command. — Ed]