This is John Batchelor, conversation with colleagues Seth Franzman of the Jerusalem Post and the Foundation for the Defense of Democracy about what is left of Hamas inside Gaza.

The deterioration of the overall fighting force is obvious. However, the IDF

continues to have to go into different neighborhoods. And what does it mean that the Hamas is not fighting as it used to.

Is that purposeful?

Is that what's left?

Seth describes the thinking on the IDF side, the casualties are not heavy and they run away.

And the thinking on the Hamas side, why is it that they run away?

What's the plan here? What are you representing? This is Seth

Fransman, author of the new book of the October 7 war, just published, or correspondent from the Jerusalem Post and also a fellow with the

Foundation for the Defense of Democracy where you can find his postings at Long War Journal.

Much more of this tonight.

Well, just judging by the casualties, I guess, on the IDF side, it doesn't seem like they're very capable

because it does seem like the IDF model of kind of rolling in with a tank gate and sending in a few thousand

infantry or leaving less is able to beat them down and they don't usually inflict a lot

of casualties so that would tend to stand a reason that what is the rabbel that the idea of

is confronting, you know, either the Hamas guys just run away or they're just not very

affected. But I think, you know, we have to remember that Hamas wants to play this

game if you read the Hamas propaganda they're basically saying listen we're still

able to fire rockets at Israel like they did today and they're able to basically

control 80% of Gaza by sending in guys that are in plain clothes and still

control with somehow and I think their long-term senses Israel will get tired of this and eventually Israel will just leave.

And that's what they think happened in the past.

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