Israel continues to push forward in its campaign to eliminate Hamas, arguing that the terrorist group’s last major base of power is in Gaza City. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that taking the city would mark a decisive step toward victory and bring the war closer to an end.
Over the past year, the Israeli military has systematically dismantled Hamas’s capabilities across Gaza, killing most of its senior leadership and striking hundreds of militant targets. In recent days, Israeli forces have taken operational control of over 40% of Gaza City and hit more than 360 Hamas positions, including high-rises used for command and weapons storage.
Despite these gains, Hamas fighters have used guerrilla tactics, hiding among civilians and fleeing through extensive tunnel networks. Israeli officials stress that these tactics are why Hamas remains a threat, and why a full military victory — not just partial operations — is essential.
Israel has repeatedly warned civilians to evacuate combat zones and has created new safe areas for the more than one million displaced residents of Gaza. The United Nations and aid groups have expressed concern about humanitarian conditions, but Israeli leaders argue Hamas bears responsibility for urging civilians not to leave and using them as human shields.
Netanyahu has resisted calls to turn Gaza over to the Palestinian Authority, arguing it is too weak and compromised to govern effectively. Instead, he has called for a future administration of local Gazans unaffiliated with Hamas, saying this is the only way to prevent the terror group from re-establishing control.
Security officials inside Israel say a military victory would deal Hamas a crushing blow and send a message that terror groups cannot govern Gaza or hold Israeli civilians hostage.
Even as Hamas’s finances collapse and its commanders operate independently without central coordination, Israeli analysts say the group still poses a danger. Without a decisive end to the conflict, Hamas could recover and launch new attacks.
Netanyahu has said the Gaza City operation can end at any time if Hamas agrees to Israel’s conditions — including surrender, the release of hostages, and giving up all military control of the enclave. “If plan A — surrender — doesn’t work, there will be plan B — destruction,” Netanyahu warned in a recent interview.
Israeli security experts argue that capturing Gaza City would strip Hamas of its last major stronghold and prove that Israel — not Hamas — determines the future of Gaza.