Israel has disclosed a document, allegedly written by a senior Hamas commander, detailing the severe losses the militant group has sustained during its ongoing offensive in Gaza. The Israeli military asserts that the letter, attributed to Rafa Salama, the commander of Hamas’ Khan Younis Brigade, reveals that about 80 percent of Hamas’ fighters have been killed, injured, or have fled.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israeli troops recovered the document in Gaza. Gallant reported that Salama, who died in an airstrike in July, addressed the letter to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar and his brother Muhammad, a senior Hamas military commander.
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The letter describes the destruction of 70 percent of Hamas’ weapons, a loss of 90-95 percent of its rockets, and the death of about half of its fighters, with the remainder either wounded or having fled. “They are left with about 20 percent of their fighters,” Gallant quoted from the letter.
The document also reportedly pleads for assistance from the Sinwar brothers, reflecting increasing desperation within Hamas following months of intense Israeli bombardment.
The Israeli military has been conducting large-scale operations in Gaza since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people. Health authorities in Gaza report that around 41,000 Palestinians have died as a result of the ongoing conflict.
