Hamas is making a comeback through recruiting, multiple Israeli media outlets reported Wednesday, Jan. 1. When combined with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters, Channel 12 reported Hamas’ total numbers are at about 23,000 fighters.
The Jerusalem Post confirmed the recruitment increase but reported the numbers are closer to 12,000 fighters.
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However, there’s a large discrepancy between the estimated number of fighters.
The Jerusalem Post reported that in October 2023, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said Hamas was estimated to have 25,000 fighters.
Is Hamas growing, or were initial estimates off?
Two theories exist that would explain the increase in numbers.
First, Hamas recruited all new members amid the controversy, virtually replacing its old force from before the war in Gaza.
The second theory, floated by The Post, is that initial IDF estimates from October 2023 were too low. The report suggested Hamas’ initial numbers were closer to 30,000 to 40,000 fighters in 2023.
If the second theory is correct, The Post said it would mean that the majority of Hamas militants fighting today are the same as in 2023 and that the group “added thousands of new recruits.”
The first signs of a Hamas comeback came this summer following IDF withdrawals from northern Gaza and from Khan Yunis last year.
Ongoing conflict in Gaza
The suspected resurgence of Hamas came after an Israeli airstrike reportedly killed a Hamas police chief and his deputy in central Gaza on Thursday, Jan. 2.
Medics in the Hamas-controlled region said 11 people were killed and more than a dozen injured in the strike. The strike reportedly occurred in a humanitarian zone that included women and children.
Israel said the deputy was “hiding” among civilians in Khan Younis, and the IDF said that it did its best to minimize harm to civilians. The IDF accused Hamas of using “the civilian population as human shields.”
