"Assessing the Future of Hamas as Israel's Conflict with Gaza Evolves"

The Israeli Defense Forces claim to have "dismantled" 20 of the original 24 Hamas battalions in Gaza, but the group's remnants remain capable of waging insurgency. The IDF is preparing to focus on the four remaining "completely operational" battalions in Rafah, a difficult and potentially weeks-long offensive. The United States abstained from a U.N. Security Council vote for an immediate cease-fire, signaling a growing rift with Israel over Gaza's humanitarian crisis. The battlefield has shifted, with the IDF conducting more precise raids and facing fewer casualties, while Hamas has reduced rocket fire and shifted to guerrilla tactics.