The US estimates that Israel has killed between 20 and 30 percent of Hamas fighters, according to 'WSJ'

Hamas has ammunition to continue attacking "for months" and is already reconstituting itself in Gaza City in the form of a "police force"

MADRID, 21 Ene. (EUROPA PRESS) -

US intelligence agencies estimate that the Israeli campaign against the Gaza Strip has so far killed between 20 and 30 percent of the total Hamas militia fighters, a percentage lower than expected after more than 100 days of war, according to a classified evaluation published this Sunday by the 'Wall Street Journal' and which has been verified by officials of the North American Government.

The report also notes that Hamas still has enough ammunition "to attack Israel for months" and that the group is also "trying to reconstitute its police force in Gaza City." Following the ground entry of the Israeli military into Gaza, Hamas has already fully adopted a guerrilla tactic, "operating in small groups and ambushing the Israeli military."

Although there are discrepancies between the figures that the Americans and Israelis consider, the differences are not excessive. Both Washington and Tel Aviv suspect that the Hamas militias are made up of up to 30,000 fighters, but Israel believes the death toll in its ranks is higher: about 9,000 dead, 30 percent of its total fighting force.

Where there is a more pronounced difference is in the number of injured. Israel estimates that up to 16,000 Hamas fighters have been incapacitated while the figures that the US is considering are between 10,500 and 11,700 militiamen, of whom, however, "many could return to combat."

Finally, regarding the situation in Gaza City, US officials perceive that Hamas is reinstalling this "police force" taking advantage of the partial withdrawal carried out by Israeli troops last month.

"It is only a matter of time, if Israel does not send troops again," says the former head of Palestinian affairs for Israel's Military Intelligence, Michael Milhstein, before "the military wing of Hamas returns to the city."