Two sources close to the leadership of Hamas said that the movement has prepared for a long and protracted war in the Gaza Strip and believes that it is able to obstruct the Israeli advance long enough to force its “arch-enemy” to agree to a ceasefire.
The two sources, who refused to reveal their identities due to the sensitivity of the situation, stated that Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, has been storing weapons, missiles, food, and medical supplies.
He added to Reuters that the movement is confident that thousands of its fighters can survive for several months in a city of tunnels dug deep into the Palestinian Strip and be able to incapacitate Israeli forces with guerrilla warfare tactics in urban areas.
The two sources said that ultimately, Hamas believes that international pressure on Israel to end the siege, with increasing civilian casualties, could impose a ceasefire and reach a negotiated settlement that would see the armed group emerge with a tangible concession, such as the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for their release. About the Israeli hostages.
Four Hamas officials, a regional official, and a source familiar with the White House’s thinking indicated that the movement made clear to the United States and Israel during indirect negotiations regarding the hostages, mediated by Qatar, that it wanted to impose such a release of prisoners in exchange for the release of the hostages.
Blinken: Our goal is to end the conflict in a way that ensures peace
In the longer term, Hamas said it wants to end the 17-year-old Israeli siege of Gaza, as well as stop Israeli settlement expansion and the harsh actions of Israeli security forces at Al-Aqsa Mosque.
On Thursday, United Nations experts called for a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, saying that the Palestinians there face a “grave risk of genocide.”
Israel has deployed overwhelming air power since the October 7 attack, which saw Hamas militants exit the Gaza Strip, killing 1,400 Israelis and taking 239 hostage.
Hamas “fully prepared”
The source familiar with White House thinking, who requested anonymity, said Washington expects Hamas to try to lure Israeli forces into a battle in the streets of Gaza and inflict military losses heavy enough to weaken Israeli public support for a protracted conflict.
However, Israeli officials assured their American counterparts that they were prepared to confront Hamas’ guerrilla tactics as well as withstand international criticism of Israeli attacks, he added.
He also said that the question of whether Israel is capable of eliminating Hamas or merely severely weakening its power remains.
Sources in Hamas say that the number of its fighters is about 40,000 and they can move throughout the Strip using a vast network of fortified tunnels, hundreds of kilometers long and up to 80 meters deep, that were built over many years.
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2023-11-04 16:34:18
