Israel has said it is facing renewed challenges following the reappearance of a senior Hamas commander, Hussein Fayyad, who was previously reported killed by Israeli forces.
This development has raised concerns regarding Hamas’s resilience and operational capabilities in Gaza, particularly in the context of the ongoing ceasefire that began on January 19, 2025.
Fayyad, who is associated with Hamas’s Beit Hanoun battalion, was thought to have been killed in an earlier Israeli operation. Israel had blamed him for anti-tank missile and rocket attacks.
However, he recently appeared in a video asserting that Hamas has emerged victorious from the conflict.
His reappearance is significant as it symbolises not only the potential failure of Israel’s stated objective to eradicate Hamas but also highlights the group’s ability to maintain its presence and influence in Gaza despite severe military pressure, said experts.
While Hamas may have suffered thousands of casualties, the IDF estimates some 20,000 were eliminated; the group continues to hold on to Gaza.
In the absence of any other group willing to administer the area, it will continue to run things with men like Fayyad, Dr. Michael Milshtein, a senior researcher at the Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University told The Jerusalem Post.
Israeli analysts said the video serves as a broader narrative of resilience among Hamas fighters, who are now back on the streets of Gaza following a fragile ceasefire.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas escalated significantly after the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas, which resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and numerous hostages taken.
In response, Israel launched a large-scale military campaign aimed at dismantling Hamas’s infrastructure and leadership. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed to have eliminated several key figures within Hamas, including Abd al-Hadi Sabah and other high-ranking commanders.
However, reports of Fayyad’s survival have sparked questions about the effectiveness of Israel’s military operations and its long-term strategy in Gaza.
