Israeli daily Maariv quoted Reserve Major General Yitzhak Brick as saying that Hamas has rebuilt its ranks to roughly 40,000 fighters, matching the militant group’s strength before the latest Gaza war. Brick, a former commander who has frequently criticized the army’s preparedness, said the fighters are largely positioned in the Gaza Strip’s tunnel network. Brick argued that Israel’s declared battlefield achievements do not reflect the “grim reality” on the ground, suggesting that the Israel Defense Forces have not dealt a lasting blow to Hamas’s military capabilities. His assessment, if accurate, points to a prolonged conflict and raises questions about the effectiveness of Israel’s months-long campaign in Gaza.