After 21 months of war, the balance of power in Gaza has flipped on its head. The Israeli army — fully equipped with advanced technology and heavy weaponry — now moves cautiously through terrain that has become a labyrinth of deadly traps. Meanwhile, a besieged Palestinian resistance force transforms spent ammunition into lethal tools. With each ambush, Israel’s declared objectives erode further, proving that defeating Hamas is not a matter of assassinating leaders, but rather about Hamas’ ability to sustain combat in the harshest conditions and deliver painful blows to Israel’s military and political leadership.
While the Israeli occupation claims to control vast areas of Gaza — using this as a bargaining chip in ongoing ceasefire negotiations — Palestinian resistance forces were quietly laying “death traps” from Beit Hanoun in the north to Khan Younis in the south. These operations, known as “David’s Stones,” came as a direct response to Israel’s latest military campaign, “Gideon’s Chariots.”
In recent weeks, deadly attacks carried out by small, agile Hamas units have escalated. These fighters have detonated explosives and laid tight ambushes deep within territory supposedly under Israeli control, causing dozens of casualties. According to analysts, the war has shifted toward a smart, flexible, and brutal war of attrition — fought from ruins and tunnels, using improvised explosives and sudden gunfire by decentralised cells.
A significant example of this shift is the complex ambush in Beit Hanoun that targeted the “Netzah Yehuda” battalion and resulted in approximately 20 Israeli casualties between killed and wounded. Together with similar attacks in Khan Younis, these operations demonstrate how Hamas has reorganised into a guerrilla force capable of carrying out lethal strikes with precision timing and location.
For weeks, these ambushes have repeated: explosive devices triggered as troops pass, gunfire raining from concealed positions. What’s new is Hamas’ move toward close-range killings and attempts to capture Israeli soldiers inside areas presumed secure. While Israel announces the deaths of Hamas fighters, the group continues to recruit new members and proves daily that it retains tactical initiative.
After 21 Months of War: Death Traps Reshape the Battlefield
CNN reported that the latest ambushes in Gaza shocked Israeli forces with their deadly precision and location, showing that Hamas — despite severe losses — has not been defeated and has embraced guerrilla tactics to inflict serious damage.
One major ambush occurred the night of Monday, 7 July 2025. A remote-controlled bomb struck a group of “Netzah Yehuda” soldiers on a road used by tanks and armoured vehicles, just one mile from the northern Gaza border fence near Israeli settlements. A second device exploded as reinforcements arrived. A third blast followed, immediately accompanied by gunfire from a Hamas cell nearby. The result: 20 Israeli soldiers and officers were either killed or wounded.
This occurred in Beit Hanoun, Gaza’s northeast corner — visible from the Israeli settlement of Sderot — in an area supposedly under complete Israeli military control. A military investigation concluded that the Hamas unit planted the devices within 24 hours of the operation, underscoring a dangerous evolution in the group’s guerrilla capabilities, despite months of exhaustion.
Despite being weakened, Hamas continued launching deadly attacks. Throughout the war, Israeli forces have had to re-enter areas of Gaza multiple times as Hamas resurfaces in locations previously declared “cleared.” Recent attacks in Beit Hanoun, eastern Gaza, and Khan Younis show that Israel’s aim to destroy Hamas remains far from reality.
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said the Beit Hanoun ambush occurred in a location the Israeli army had considered secure “after destroying every stone.” Hamas described the ongoing war as a “battle of attrition,” aiming to capture more soldiers to add to those taken on 7 October. “Even if Israel miraculously frees its soldiers from this hell, it may still fail later, leaving us with more captives,” Hamas stated.
On Wednesday, a separate Hamas unit fired a rocket at an Israeli military engineering vehicle in Khan Younis. As the driver attempted to flee, he was ambushed and killed at point-blank range. The fighters seized his weapons, and the entire attack was documented in a video published by Hamas.
Hamas Has Studied Israel’s Military Tactics — And Its Fighters Keep Coming
According to Israeli military experts cited by The Guardian, Hamas has undergone a “military transformation” since 7 October — shifting from a semi-conventional force to a full-fledged guerrilla army.
Guy Aviad, a former military historian in the Israeli army and Hamas affairs expert, told The Guardian:
“It’s an incredibly complex battlefield for the Israeli army. Hamas uses every piece of rubble. They’re guerrilla warfare experts and have been fighting Israel for over two decades.”
Israeli officials admit Hamas’ recruitment capacity remains strong. In March, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan News reported that Hamas had recruited “hundreds” of new fighters ready for raids via its tunnel network. General Israel Ziv told CNN:
“They’ve had plenty of time to study how we operate. They’re capitalising on our weak spots. They’re not defending territory anymore — they’re hunting for targets.”
He added that despite exhaustion, Hamas is adapting:
“Their war is built on our vulnerabilities. With recycled explosives and small-unit ambushes, they’ve seized the initiative by exploiting structural gaps.”
Because Hamas now operates in decentralised, independent cells, targeting its command structure has become more difficult. Last month, an Israeli military official told CNN that destroying what remains of Hamas has become much harder. “We’re no longer able to achieve tactical objectives on the ground as we did earlier in the operation,” he admitted.
Israel claims Hamas has largely depleted its missile arsenal and can now only launch occasional, low-impact rockets. But Hamas’ ability to navigate Gaza’s ruins with powerful homemade bombs, crafted from Israeli ammunition, has turned destruction into endurance.
Despite facing challenges in southern Gaza from armed gangs backed by Israel, Hamas has maintained its operational pace — exacting a deadly toll week after week. Even as negotiations in Doha continue, a ceasefire remains elusive. Mediators have not yet bridged the gap between the two sides.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a recent visit to Washington, demanded that Hamas disarm and abandon its military and governance capabilities — a condition Hamas has refused. Its continued attacks demonstrate the group’s resilience and strategic confidence.
Hamas Intensifies Efforts to Capture Israeli Soldiers
According to Michael Milshtein, an academic at Tel Aviv University, Hamas is expected to intensify efforts to capture Israeli soldiers in Gaza. He told The Guardian:
“There is no doubt that Hamas will ramp up efforts to take new hostages — even the bodies of dead soldiers.”
One such attempt involved trying to capture Staff Sgt. Abraham Azulai in Khan Younis, which ultimately failed due to battlefield conditions.
Still, Hamas’ renewed focus on capturing soldiers could grant it greater leverage in ceasefire and prisoner exchange negotiations — and heavily sway Israeli public opinion.
Abdel Jawad Hamayel, a political analyst in Ramallah, told The Guardian:
“Hamas may release captives to broker a ceasefire, but it will also seek new hostages. That suggests no agreement will end the conflict permanently.”
Another Palestinian analyst in Qatar, familiar with Hamas’ strategic discussions, said:
“This is not just about negotiation leverage — it’s part of the psychological war with Israel. Hamas aims to strengthen its fighters and demoralise Israeli troops and society.”
He added that while Hamas may only deploy a few hundred fighters across Gaza, they are used with precision and caution to achieve maximum strategic effect.
According to Israel Hayom, the Israeli army is increasingly worried about Hamas’ efforts to kidnap soldiers. A senior Israeli official warned that Hamas has adopted a “sacrifice strategy” — showing greater boldness and engaging in close combat to capture soldiers. Troops have been ordered to remain alert at all times, as Hamas is expected to exploit any field vulnerabilities.
The Israeli military reportedly holds debriefing sessions after every soldier’s death to learn operational lessons. However, Al-Qassam Brigades’ evolving tactics continue to challenge Israeli commanders.
One pressing question is whether Israeli forces should continue entering Palestinian homes. Recent incidents involved Hamas planting explosives in houses, resulting in collapses that killed soldiers. Another major concern is how to protect armoured vehicles with infantry, as foot soldiers are often caught in ambushes while trying to secure these vehicles.
Ultimately, the army is waiting for guidance from political leaders regarding the next phase of operations. The current campaign, “Gideon’s Chariots,” is nearing its end without achieving its declared goals.
“The Death of Our Soldiers Should End This War”
Israeli columnist Gershon Baskin wrote in Haaretz that the soldiers killed in the Beit Hanoun ambush — and others before them — should be a wake-up call to end the war.
“These soldiers did not die defending us. They died defending Netanyahu’s coalition. This war has no strategic goal or real purpose.”
He added:
“Their deaths were in vain. They are not martyrs. They are pawns in a cruel game played by leaders who care nothing for their people.”
Baskin criticised the Israeli government for risking soldiers’ lives while knowing most of the public wants an end to the war. “There is no longer any strategic justification for continuing this war,” he concluded.
Recent polls in Israel show that 75% of the public supports ending the war in exchange for the release of all captives held by the Palestinian resistance.
A May survey by the Israeli Democracy Institute revealed deep public divisions. Nearly half of Israelis believe that the army’s latest campaign, “Gideon’s Chariots,” will fail to destroy Hamas or recover hostages — more than those who think it will succeed.
Haaretz stated that most Israelis are unconvinced of this campaign’s success — especially after previous failed operations, from the Rafah invasion in April 2024 to the unacknowledged “Generals’ Plan” that imposed a de facto siege on northern Gaza, displacing thousands and killing scores of Palestinians.
The growing demand to end the war stems from its prolonged nature and the rising toll of Israeli soldier deaths — a stark contrast to the early days of the conflict, when public sentiment was marked by euphoric calls to press on.
