Hamas Switches To Guerrilla Tactics As Israeli Forces Endure Heavy Losses In Gaza

Last Updated:July 12, 2025, 20:00 IST

Weakened after 21 months, Hamas has switched to guerrilla-style tactics to inflict losses on the Israeli troops, showing that Israel's goal to eradicate the group remains elusive.

The Israel-Hamas War has entered its 21st month, with no end in sight. (Reuters)

As the Israel-Hamas war continues in Gaza, wreaking havoc in the Palestinian territory and leading to the deaths of thousands, the Palestinian militant group, battered after 21 months of conflict, is switching to guerrilla-style tactics against Israeli forces to mount deadly attacks.

On Monday, Israeli forces were caught in an explosive-ridden trap as they walked across a route in Beit Hanoun – which was supposed to be under the control of the Israeli military – used by tanks and armoured vehicles, killing five Israeli soldiers and wounding 14 others, some with critical injuries.

An initial probe found that a Hamas unit had placed the bombs within the previous 24 hours, preparing an ambush against Israeli forces, who likely believed they were operating in relative safety so close to Israeli territory, according to CNN.

Despite being weakened after 21 months of war in which Israel had killed several high-profile leaders like Yahya Sinwar and Mohammad Deif, Hamas has continued to mount deadly attacks against Israeli forces in the Strip. Israeli forces have had to return to parts of Gaza several times to fight Hamas forces re-emerging in areas Israel claimed it had cleared.

Israel’s Goal Remains Elusive

After nearly two years, Israel’s goal to eradicate Hamas from Gaza remains elusive. A total of 890 Israeli military personnel have been killed since the October 7, 2023, attack, including 448 since the launch of the ground offensive and 40 since the new phase of attacks began in March 18 this year.

Hamas’ military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, said Monday’s attack happened “in an area the occupation thought was safe after leaving no stone unturned." Hamas described the war as a “battle of attrition" waged against Israel.

Another Israeli soldier was killed on Wednesday when Hamas militants targeted an Israeli military engineering vehicle in Khan Younis, launching a rocket-propelled grenade and charging the vehicle as the driver tried to flee, as they tried to abduct the soldier.

On the day of the ceasefire between Iran and Israel, a Hamas member threw an incendiary device down the open hatch of an armored engineering vehicle in southern Gaza, killing all seven soldiers inside, marking one of the deadliest incidents for the Israeli military in Gaza.

Hamas Recruited New Fighters

While the Israeli military said it killed 20,000 Hamas fighters since the beginning of the war, Hamas has recruited new fighters as well to replenish their ranks. Hamas had recruited “hundreds" of new fighters, according to Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan News, in March.

“Hamas has undergone a transformation — it has become a guerrilla organisation operating in small cells. It has an abundance of explosives, much of it from the munitions the IDF has dropped there. This is a war of IEDs. Hamas is creating ambushes and taking initiative by controlling key bottlenecks," Retired Major General Israel Ziv, former head of the IDF’s Operations Directorate, told CNN.

Moreover, Hamas is also using the ruins of Gaza City to move as independent groups, armed with improvised explosive devices culled from tens of thousands of Israeli munitions, targeting the Israeli forces as the war continues.

Jerusalem, Israel

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