Israeli Military Estimates: Hamas Shows No Signs Of Collapse Or Loss Of Will To Fight

Haaretz reported that Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir is sticking to his directives for managing the ground offensive in Gaza, urging a slow and cautious advance of troops backed by heavy air and artillery strikes in order to reduce army casualties.

The paper said the naming of the operation“Gideon's Chariots B” is little more than a media ploy, as Zamir views it as a continuation of existing operations rather than a strategic turning point.

The report noted that the fighting is likely to become more complicated due to the presence of civilians in combat zones. Only a few thousand have left so far, with new waves of displacement southward expected as pressure mounts, though many are likely to remain despite the risks.

Contrary to messaging from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's circle, military assessments stress that Hamas shows no signs of collapse or loss of will to fight, and that the group's difficulties are related to capabilities, not intentions.

Netanyahu's main problem, the paper added, lies in timelines. His repeated promises – particularly to U.S. President Donald Trump – do not match the slow pace of progress on the ground. Nevertheless, he has once again secured Trump's support, as he did in March when fighting resumed in Gaza and in June during the confrontation with Iran, this time convincing him that the offensive would strike at Hamas's“last center of gravity” and open the door to discussions on Gaza's“day after” in line with the White House vision.

Haaretz warned that if results are not achieved as quickly as Washington expects, tensions may erupt between the U.S. and Israel. It added that growing criticism from Netanyahu's circle, voiced through“political sources” and accusing the chief of staff of deliberately slowing the operation, appears to be a pre-emptive move to shift blame onto the army in case of setbacks.

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