Israel’s Defence Minister Yoav Galant says Palestinian extremist organization Hamas in Gaza has lost its fighting spirit after more than four months of war.<\/p>\n
“Two hundred fighters surrendered [in Khan Younis] in the Nasser hospital, dozens more in the Amal hospital,” Galant told army commanders on Sunday. “This shows that they [Hamas] have lost their fighting spirit.”<\/p>\n
The information could not initially be independently verified.<\/p>\n
The Hamas leadership in Gaza under Yehya al-Sinwar, hiding from Israeli security forces, has lost contact with the outside world, the Israeli minister said.<\/p>\n
“The Hamas-Gaza branch is unresponsive,” Galant said. “There is nobody to talk to on the ground.”<\/p>\n
Now, Hamas only has organized armed forces in the central Gaza Strip and in Rafah, the southern border town with Egypt. If the army decides to take action there, “there will be no one to help them – no Iranians and no international support,” he said.<\/p>\n
Galant was meeting the commanders of the units fighting in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have been fighting Hamas in the southern city of Khan Younis for several weeks and are preparing an operation in Rafah, despite widespread concern that this could lead to mass civilian casualties due to the tens of thousands of people sheltering there.<\/p>\n