Part 5/13:
While Israel reports roughly 9,000 Hamas fighters killed and indicates that about half of the remaining combatants are incapacitated, US estimates are far more conservative, suggesting the insurgent group's strength may be closer to 25,000–30,000 members, with thousands still potentially fightable. The difficulty in assessing actual battlefield damage is compounded by Hamas’ guerrilla tactics in urban environments, which enable them to sustain combat despite heavy casualties. The presence of extensive tunnel networks further complicates efforts to gauge true enemy strength and durability.