BANGKOK, January 22. /TASS/. Israel has failed to achieve any of its goals in the Gaza Strip as it fights against the Palestinian radical group Hamas there, Roostum Vansu, an expert in international affairs and lecturer at the Institute for Peace Studies, Prince of Songkla University, said in an interview with TASS.
"From a political point of view when the war started, Israel outlined three political objectives: eradicating Hamas, rescuing hostages, and changing the governing authority in the Gaza Strip. However, by the time the war ended with the latest ceasefire agreement, Israel had failed to achieve any of these goals," he maintained.
"Firstly, Hamas remains operational despite losing several leaders to Israeli strikes. The group has shown resilience and continues to function effectively, meaning Israel was unable to achieve its objective of eradicating Hamas," the expert noted. "Secondly, Israel could not rescue the hostages through military action. Their release only occurred due to diplomatic efforts and the ceasefire agreement, not as a result of Israeli military operations," Vansu continued. And finally, "Hamas continues to govern Gaza," he said.
According to Vansu, despite Israeli and other countries’ efforts to support the role of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) led by Fatah as the governing body in the enclave, those were not successful. "The PA's legitimacy remains in crisis, as Hamas maintains strong support among Gaza's population and continues to wield power within the region," the expert told TASS. "From a military standpoint, Israel has not been 'defeated' by Hamas. Its advanced technology and intelligence capabilities far exceed those of Hamas, and it has successfully targeted key figures and infrastructure within Gaza. However, military superiority does not necessarily translate into strategic victory," he argued.
"Hamas's resilience, despite significant losses, signals that Israel's strategies have not entirely neutralized the group’s influence or operations. Moreover, Hamas continues to maintain control over Gaza and enjoys a degree of support from parts of the Palestinian population and other actors in the region," Vansu concluded.
Israeli-Palestinian escalation
The situation in the Middle East escalated dramatically after armed Hamas supporters from the Gaza Strip infiltrated into Israeli territory on October 7, 2023, killing residents in border communities and taking more than 240 hostages. In response, Israel launched a military operation in the enclave with the aim to wipe out the Hamas military and political structure and secure the release of all those abducted.
Throughout 2024, mediators Egypt, Qatar and the US made efforts to reach a ceasefire. As of January 2025, at least 47,000 Palestinians have been killed and 111,000 others injured since the military operation began in Gaza in October 2023. Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, took part in the negotiations.
On January 15, mediators announced an agreement to release the hostages held in the Gaza Strip and introduce a ceasefire. On January 19, it entered into force. At the first stage of the deal, which will last 42 days, Hamas will release 33 hostages in exchange for Israel freeing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. On the first day of the ceasefire, the radicals released three Israeli female hostages, while Israel let 90 Palestinian prisoners walk free.
Israeli Ambassador to Russia Simone Halperin told TASS that Russian national Alexander Trufanov, who also holds an Israeli passport, is on the list of hostages to be released by Hamas.