Two U.S. officials have stated that while Hamas has successfully recruited new members, many of them are young and untrained.
According to U.S. intelligence agencies, since the war with Israel began, the Palestinian militant group Hamas has recruited between 10,000 to 15,000 fighters.
Two U.S. Congressional officials, who are aware of this intelligence, shared this information, according to Reuters.
The officials stated that U.S. intelligence suggests that a similar number of Hamas fighters have been killed in the Gaza conflict. This latest official estimate from the United States had not been released previously.
After 15 months of fighting, Hamas and Israel began a ceasefire on Sunday. The Gaza Strip has been almost reduced to rubble, and over 47,000 Palestinians have been killed. The conflict has also intensified tensions in the Middle East.
The U.S. officials stated that while Hamas has successfully recruited new members, many of them are young and untrained. These recruits are primarily being used for general guard duties.
In response to a request for comment from Reuters, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the United States declined to comment.
The recently former U.S. Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, stated on January 14 that the United States believes Hamas has recruited nearly as many members as the number of fighters it lost in the Palestinian enclave. He warned that this creates a situation of “permanent insurgency and perpetual war.”
However, Blinken did not provide a detailed account of how many fighters Hamas has lost or how many new recruits it has gained. According to Israeli estimates, nearly 20,000 Hamas fighters have been killed in the Gaza conflict.
Blinken said, “Every time Israel completes its military operations and returns, Hamas militants reorganize and re-emerge.”