Hamas has lost roughly 80% of its control over the Gaza Strip and seen 95% of its leadership killed, an unnamed lieutenant-colonel in the group’s security forces told the BBC in voice messages verified by the broadcaster. He said months of Israeli air-strikes and ground operations had dismantled Hamas’s political, military and security command structure, leaving “no leadership, no command, no communication.” With the group’s security apparatus in ruins, local armed clans are stepping into the power vacuum. The officer cited widespread looting of the Ansar complex—once Hamas’s main police headquarters—and warned that gangs “could stop you, kill you” with no intervention by the remaining Hamas forces. One prominent faction, led by Yasser Abu Shabab, has become influential enough for Hamas to place a bounty on its leader, raising fears of internecine violence. The disclosure comes as Israeli and Hamas delegations pursue mediated cease-fire and hostage-release negotiations in Doha. Israel says its forces now control most of Gaza after the war that began with Hamas’s 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel. The officer’s account, if borne out, suggests Hamas’s governance has effectively collapsed even before any formal political settlement is reached.