The effectiveness of 10 out of 24 Hamas battalions has been broken, according to the IDF.
For the first time since the war began, the IDF this week provided official estimates of the size and makeup of what Hamas’s forces were on the eve of the war, which started on October 7.
In addition, the IDF estimated the impact it has had on Hamas’s forces through approximately five weeks of airstrikes and two and a half weeks of the ground invasion.
According to the IDF, Hamas started the war with 30,000 men in five regional brigades, consisting of 24 battalions, or 140 companies. Each battalion contained more than 1,000 men.
Prior unofficial estimates had set Hamas’s forces at 15,000 to 40,000 men.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad's dwindling numbers
Further, prior unofficial estimates before the conflict with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad this past May had set its forces at about 10,000.
On the eve of the war, according to IDF sources, Islamic Jihad forces had shrunk somewhat, possibly due to losses in May.
Each Hamas brigade is divided into specific skill sets, including those who specialize in firing anti-tank missiles, sharpshooting, and engineering. The brigades are comprised of naval units (drones or motorized hang gliders, but no aircraft) and maneuvering battle units.
In addition, each battalion has regional command centers and more local, smaller-scale positions that are the focal point of directing its operations.
The IDF cited two examples of Hamas battalions whose effectiveness has been harmed: the Shaati and the Daraj-Tuffah battalions.
According to the IDF, the Shaati Battalion lost 200 men, including many battalion and company commanders, as well as most of its battalion-level and lower-level command centers and positions.
In the time between initial IDF fighting with the Shaati Battalion until several days later, there was a notable change and loss of effectiveness, IDF sources said.
Coordinated action by Hamas broken up into more chaotic attack
At first, there was a clearly synchronized battle plan by Hamas to ambush IDF forces, using a variety of tactics and specialized units, they said.
Once several Hamas commanders were killed by the IDF, however, the coordination broke down, and the various companies ceased to operate in unison. Sometimes, even only very small groups of Hamas forces were working together, with no awareness or connection to other Hamas forces’ efforts, the sources said.
Moreover, even when some battalions tried to replace lost commanders with commanders from other battalions, the loss of familiarity and expectations was apparent, the IDF sources said, and the battalions did not return to their former effectiveness levels.
This has been crucial for the Shaati Battalion because it is responsible for the Shifa Hospital area where Hamas’s headquarters are situated.
The IDF reported a similar story regarding the Daraj-Tuffah Battalion, which has lost more than 260 men and commanders at all levels.
This is the first in-depth data the IDF has released about its progress, other than that it has killed several thousand Hamas members.
Multiple top IDF sources have expressed doubt about Hamas being close to “breaking,” however, even as leading political and IDF officers publicly say it has lost control of northern Gaza.