The hidden cost of war: Gaza in ruins, tens of thousands dead, and Hamas still standing | Two-year retrospective

A boy sits outside the entrance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) building complex in Gaza City on September 6, 2025. (Photo by Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP)

Two years have passed since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack on southern Israel, killing over 1,200 civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to wipe the group off the face of the earth. Since then, Gaza has endured relentless airstrikes, ground operations, and a humanitarian crisis that has left over 67,000 Palestinians dead, countless injured, and more than 50 million tonnes of rubble.

October 7, 2025, marks two years since the devastating escalation in Gaza and the start of indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, mediated by Egypt and Qatar. US President Donald Trump has proposed a Gaza peace plan aimed at disarming Hamas and transferring governance to an independent authority. Yet, after two years of conflict, the question remains: has Israel succeeded in its objective of dismantling Hamas? The answer is far from straightforward.

Israel’s offensive and decimation of Hamas leadership

The October 2023 Hamas attack triggered a massive Israeli military response. Operation Swords of Iron flattened Gaza neighbourhoods that Israel identified as “Hamas command hubs.” Tanks rolled into Gaza City and Jabalia, while targeted strikes systematically eliminated senior Hamas leaders. By early 2024, Israel had killed key figures including Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut. The “mastermind” of the October 7 attack, Yahya Sinwar, was killed in a Rafah tunnel raid in October 2024.

According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), between 17,000 and 23,000 Hamas operatives have been killed over the last two years, including elite Nukhba forces. Israel also destroyed critical infrastructure such as the “Gaza Metro,” a 560–720 km network of tunnels with thousands of shafts used for weapons storage and movement of fighters, reported the New York Times in 2024.

Civilian toll and humanitarian catastrophe

While Hamas’s leadership has been heavily targeted, the civilian cost has been staggering. Gaza’s health ministry, confirmed by UN observers, estimates over 67,000 Palestinians have died, half of them women and children. Hospitals like Al-Shifa and Nasser were bombed as Israel identified them as dual-use sites. Tens of thousands of families have been displaced, schools and clinics destroyed, and humanitarian access limited, leaving residents in dire conditions.

The scale of destruction is not just physical. Gaza residents like Mohammed Abu Sultan, 49, who fled Gaza City with 20 family members, said, “We have been running from death for two years.” UN and humanitarian agencies have warned of famine-like conditions in parts of Gaza, highlighting the urgent need for aid.

The monetary cost and rebuilding needs

The financial bill is enormous. Israel has reported tens of billions of shekels in wartime spending. At the same time, international assessments estimate more than $50 billion will be needed to recover and rebuild Gaza over the next decade, with a large share required in the first few years to restore basic services and housing. That figure only measures reconstruction; it does not capture the wider regional economic disruption or long-term lost growth.

Hamas adapts: Survival over confrontation

Despite losses, Hamas remains a potent force. Experts report that approximately 10,000–12,000 operatives survive in southern Gaza, employing guerrilla tactics, hit-and-run attacks, and ambushes rather than direct engagement with Israeli troops. Reuters reported that Hamas has recruited 10,000–15,000 members since October 2023. The group has also restructured its civilian governance, paying civil servants from emergency cash reserves and maintaining informal policing networks.

Shaiel Ben-Ephraim, an Israeli-American diplomacy expert, said on X, “There seems to be a misconception that Israel has destroyed the fighting capacity of Hamas. While the IDF made significant progress, it has not come anywhere near doing that. Adding new recruits is incredibly easy, and Hamas does that daily.” Erik Skare, an academic at Oslo University, told ABC, “When it comes to military control, Hamas still exerts its influence heavily. It is by no means defeated. It is heavily present, and it is also engaging in daily attacks against Israeli troops in what could best be described as a harassment campaign.”

Global and regional impacts

The Gaza war has reshaped global politics. Protests erupted worldwide, particularly among students and civil society groups, calling for humanitarian relief and political accountability. Some countries have voiced support for Gaza, while others reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend itself. Israel’s operations outside Gaza, including targeting Hamas leaders in Qatar, Lebanon, and elsewhere, have added diplomatic tensions in the region.

Global protests and US crackdown

The conflict ignited a wave of global protests advocating for Palestinian rights. From London to Lahore, students, activists, and civil society groups rallied against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In the United States, this movement gained significant momentum, particularly on university campuses. At institutions like Harvard, Columbia, and UCLA, students organised demonstrations, sit-ins, and rallies, demanding an end to US support for Israeli military actions and calling for greater accountability. These protests were often marked by the display of Palestinian flags and slogans such as "Free Palestine" and "End the Occupation."

In response, President Donald Trump's administration took a firm stance against these demonstrations. The administration accused universities of fostering environments where antisemitism could thrive under the guise of free speech. In April 2025, the Department of Education froze over $2.3 billion in federal grants to Harvard University, citing concerns over antisemitic incidents linked to campus protests and the university's handling of them. Harvard rejected these allegations, arguing that the protests were expressions of free speech and not indicative of institutional antisemitism.

The administration's actions extended beyond Harvard. Columbia University agreed to pay over $200 million to resolve federal investigations into its handling of pro-Palestinian protests, which included allegations of antisemitic harassment. Similarly, Brown University settled for $50 million, agreeing to implement policy changes and disciplinary actions against students involved in disruptive protests. These settlements were part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to impose stricter controls on university policies regarding free speech, diversity, and inclusion.

These developments sparked a national debate over the balance between free speech and the prevention of hate speech on college campuses. Critics of the administration's actions argued that the funding cuts and policy changes were politically motivated and infringed upon academic freedom. They contended that the government's response was an overreach that threatened the core values of higher education. Supporters, however, maintained that the measures were necessary to ensure that universities upheld standards of conduct and did not become platforms for hate speech.

The clash between global advocacy for Palestinian rights and the US government's response highlighted deep divisions within American society over issues of free speech, foreign policy, and civil rights. It underscored the challenges faced by educational institutions in navigating complex political landscapes while maintaining their commitments to academic freedom and inclusivity.

The US, Trump and peace efforts

The United States remains central to diplomatic solutions. Donald Trump has proposed a Gaza peace plan that includes disarming Hamas, withdrawing Israeli troops, and establishing an independent technocratic authority to administer Gaza. Trump has stressed the urgency of compliance, warning that failure to implement the plan could lead to “massive bloodshed.” His plan also envisions a phased release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian detainees and full humanitarian aid access.

Trump said on Truth Social, “There have been very positive discussions with Hamas and Countries from all over the World, to release the Hostages, end the War in Gaza, but more importantly finally have long sought PEACE in the Middle East. These talks have been very successful and proceeding rapidly. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE OR MASSIVE BLOODSHED WILL FOLLOW - SOMETHING THAT NOBODY WANTS TO SEE.”

Bottom line: Hamas is weakened, not defeated

Two years of conflict have shattered Gaza, killed tens of thousands, and eliminated much of Hamas’s leadership. Yet the organisation survives, adapting to new military and political realities. The civilian population continues to suffer, and the war has left an indelible mark on global politics. Trump’s peace plan may offer a pathway to ceasefire and reconstruction, but the survival and resilience of Hamas demonstrate that eliminating the group completely is far from straightforward. The war’s human and political consequences will continue to unfold, making careful diplomacy, humanitarian relief, and international oversight more critical than ever.