Hamas is the 'exclusive sovereign authority' in Gaza: Israel Hayom

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Israeli media
1 Feb 2025 17:45
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A reserve brigadier general in the Israeli military says Hamas "remains steadfast, and as time passes and the process of returning Israeli captives advances, its grip and control on the ground only strengthen."

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Hamas fighters secure an area before handing over an Israeli-America captive to a Red Cross team in Gaza City, on February 1, 2025, as part of the fourth captive-prisoner exchange (AFP)

The images coming out of Gaza do not depict Hamas as "collapsed, shattered, crushed, destroyed, or even dismantled," Reserve Brigadier General in the Israeli occupation military, Zvika Haimovich, indicated.

Instead, the pictures emerging over the past two weeks depict the Palestinian group as "the exclusive sovereign authority in the strip," Haimovich said in an article published in the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom.

Haimovich, who previously served as the commander of the Air Defense Formation in the Israeli military, emphasized that Hamas "remains steadfast, and as time passes and the process of returning Israeli captives advances, its grip and control on the ground only strengthen."

He suggested that "Israel will have to search for an image of victory, which we had hoped to see elsewhere," explaining that the return of all Israeli captives will not provide an image of victory for "Israel".

Haimovich underscored the importance of remembering "the cost [that Israel has paid], the time that has elapsed, and those whose return alive was possible but did not happen."

Additionally, the reserve brigadier general stressed that Hamas "has proven to be a tough negotiator" in the ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations, adding that the Palestinian group "knew how to exploit the situation to its advantage."

In this context, Haimovich pointed out that Hamas' insistence on conducting the release of Israeli captives over 42 days and freeing itself from Israeli pressure—by reopening the Rafah crossing and ending the division of Gaza through the Netzarim corridor—so soon after the agreement’s implementation was driven by its "objective of regaining control over the territory."

He also noted that this move was aimed at facilitating the return of hundreds of thousands of residents to the northern part of the strip, where it would be more difficult for the Israeli military to resume fighting.

At present, "Israel’s" attempt to impose conditions on the next phases of captive releases is merely an effort to "limit the damage," according to Haimovich, who clarified that this is an attempt to prevent Hamas from staging victory displays that serve its internal objectives and undermine "Israel".

The reserve brigadier general pointed out that "Israel" entered the captive return arrangement while, for months, military and political officials had repeatedly asserted that "Hamas had been dismantled, its military organization destroyed, most of its capabilities eliminated, and that it was losing public support."

He noted that over the past months, "Israel" had built pressure mechanisms in Gaza, including closing the Rafah crossing, taking control of the Philadelphi Corridor, severing Gaza via Netzarim, and preventing movement to the north of the strip but noted that "the first two pressure mechanisms were removed this week."

Furthermore, Haimovich highlighted Hamas' ability to reorganize and maintain its military uniforms, equipped vehicles, filmed footage, flags, and police presence, along with displays of military strength by its fighters in full gear and weaponry, stressing that this is far from being a group that has lost its capabilities.

"How have they [Hamas], within just a few days, managed to assemble such an organized display of forces and equipment, both in quantity and condition, after all the destruction and military pressure, while Gaza remains completely isolated from any external connection?" Haimovich questioned.

"It is difficult to understand this, and it primarily requires an explanation from the Israeli military leadership—one that we have yet to hear," he concluded.