Hamas returning to power in northern Gaza, according to Israeli military official

An IDF colonel warned in an interview on Tuesday that Hamas is in the process of returning to power in northern Gaza, despite the elimination of most Hamas operatives in the area.

IDF Col. (res.) Hezi Nachman urged the Israeli government to complete the task of destroying Hamas while simultaneously securing the release of the Israeli hostages held in Gaza, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“A directive was received to evacuate northern Gaza at the beginning of the war, and we demand that this evacuation be completed, and clearly state that no one be allowed to return home until the hostages are returned and Hamas is completely destroyed,” Nachman told Israel's 103FM radio.

The Israeli military ground operation, which began in late October, initially focused on neutralizing the terrorist group’s military and political assets in northern Gaza, including in the enclave’s largest urban center – Gaza City.

In late December, Israel Defense Forces announced it was close to securing “full operational control” in northern Gaza. In military terms, this would mean that the IDF had dismantled Hamas as an organized military opponent. However, smaller remaining terror cells have acted independently and have continued to attack Israeli forces in the area.

Weeks ago, Israel began dramatically reducing its military presence in Gaza, with tens of thousands of IDF reservists returning home to their families and civilian life. This led to a power vacuum that Hamas was quick to exploit.

In early February, Hamas reportedly began reasserting its presence in northern Gaza, enabled by the dramatic reduction of IDF troops in the area. However, the IDF’s Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Yaron Finkelman denied that the IDF was abandoning northern Gaza.

“Our ability to operate here, in the heart of Gaza City again, after we left to attack in other areas, our ability to return here and operate powerfully against the important targets, while striking many dozens of terrorists in recent days, is an important ability, and we will continue to do it,” he said.

While northern Gaza is officially a closed military zone, Nachman stressed that several hundred thousand Gazans remain in the area and that Hamas terrorists are hiding among them.

“Today, there are between 300,000 to 500,000 people in northern Gaza, the IDF doesn't have enough troops to operate there effectively, Hamas is returning to power there, armed gunmen are roaming the streets, and life in Gaza is going back to the old routine, while residents of Be'eri and Netiv Ha'Asara can't go home,” the IDF official assessed in his recent interview.

“The IDF is doing its best, but they have made a big mistake, thinking there were just 100 to 150,000 residents left in northern Gaza,” he added.

The Biden administration and other governments have urged Israel to do more to distinguish between Hamas terrorists and Gazan civilians. However, Hamas terrorists are largely wearing civilian clothes, making this task extremely challenging.

“It’s impossible to distinguish Hamas terrorists from the general public. That’s why we demand that the entirety of northern Gaza be evacuated. We can’t allow for the market in Jabalya to look the way it does,” Nachman warned. “We need to do this, otherwise we will pay for it with interest.”