Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir acknowledged during a recent high-level security meeting that Hamas would not be completely defeated even if Israel succeeded in occupying Gaza City.

According to Israeli media leaks, Zamir stated that while the army remains committed to the government’s declared objectives, “a complete defeat of Hamas is unlikely even after the occupation of Gaza City.” He reportedly estimated that taking full control of the city could take six months, with a complete “clearing operation” likely requiring even longer.

Zamir’s remarks come as Gaza endures its eleventh consecutive month of Israeli bombardment and ground operations, which have killed at least 64,871 Palestinians and wounded over 164,000, according to Gaza health authorities. The majority of the victims are women and children, and thousands remain missing under the rubble of destroyed buildings.

Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have accused Israel of committing war crimes and warned that its campaign amounts to genocide, citing deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure, mass displacement of the population, and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.

Military analysts say Zamir’s comments reflect Israel’s growing recognition that its war aims — the destruction of Hamas’ military and governing capacity — may be unattainable without prolonged occupation and massive human cost.

Even as Israeli forces continue advancing neighborhood by neighborhood, resistance fighters have maintained ambushes, sniper attacks, and tunnel warfare, inflicting casualties on Israeli troops and slowing their progress.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take immediate measures to prevent genocide and allow humanitarian aid into the besieged enclave, but aid agencies report that deliveries remain severely restricted. The United Nations Security Council has repeatedly called for an immediate ceasefire, but Israeli officials insist the war will continue until its goals are met.

Critics say Zamir’s admission underscores the futility of the campaign and the devastating toll on civilians. Palestinian officials condemned his remarks, calling them proof that Israel’s strategy is not about security but about the “systematic destruction of Gaza’s society and future.” (ILKHA)