Six months after the bloody war, its end is nowhere in sight. Despite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements that Israel is very close to victory, American authorities warn in an interview with the New York Times that the war against Hamas could continue for many years.

So far, Israel claims to have killed 26,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, half of whom are Hamas members. While figures issued by the Ministry of Health in Gaza indicate that 33,000 Palestinians were killed. But all these numbers are based on estimates, and not on accurate statistics, due to the state of chaos prevailing in the sector.

An Israeli intelligence source admitted to the newspaper that despite the harsh fighting taking place in the northern Gaza Strip, estimates indicate the continued presence of between 4,000 and 5,000 Hamas fighters.

Meanwhile, American military and intelligence sources warned that the number of casualties suffered by the Hamas movement does not necessarily mean the end of the fighting. A former CIA official said, “The Palestinian resistance to Israel, which is evident in the operations of Hamas, and in other Palestinian elements in the Gaza Strip, is not only part of a physical structure, but rather an idea. Despite the massive destruction that Israel is causing to the movement, "It is reasonable to assume that many in the Strip are waiting to join the fight."

The American sources that the newspaper spoke to stated that Israel must admit that it is unable to completely destroy Hamas, and must be content with preventing another “massacre” like the one that occurred on October 7. However, they expect that even after the war ends, Hamas will rebuild itself, and the pace at which this happens is linked to the plans of Israel and its partners for the “day after the war.” They recommended that Israel avoid intense fighting, and focus on assassinating Hamas officials and preventing the movement's military power from growing again.