GAZA CITY, Palestinian Territories (AFP) — After more than a year hiding in tunnels and dodging air strikes, uniformed Hamas fighters returned to the ruined streets of Gaza hours into a ceasefire, defying Israel’s vow to crush them.

With the world watching on Sunday as Hamas handed over three Israeli hostages to the Red Cross, dozens of balaclava-wearing fighters in the group’s signature green headbands were seen at the packed Gaza City square marshalling the chaotic events.

The day after, Hamas’ deputy interior minister for the territory was out and about in Gaza City, declaring that Gazans were “living in a moment of victory.”

While Hamas was back on the streets, Israeli forces were withdrawing from the territory’s densely populated areas.

The destruction they left behind was staggering, yet Hamas appears to have survived, in spite of Israel’s stated objective from the outset of the war of eradicating the group once and for all.

“When you set yourself complete elimination (as a goal), if there is one man standing it can be regarded as failure,” Yossi Mekelberg, a Middle East expert at Chatham House, said.

Will rise again

This could prove a problem for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who pledged in the aftermath of Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on Israel to destroy the group.

“They were under the fiercest bombardment that such an organization could ever sustain and they are still there and they are still recruiting,” Mekelberg said.

Israel decimated Hamas’ ranks and killed many of its top leaders, including Ismail Haniyeh and his successor Yahya Sinwar. On Tuesday, Israel’s army chief said its campaign had killed “nearly 20,000 Hamas operatives.”

Mekelberg cautioned that it was too early to assess Hamas’ overall condition, and acknowledged it had suffered heavy losses, but “on your TV, you see that they are still there, with their bandanas and all their masks.”

Muhammad Shehada, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said Israel had specifically targeted civil servants, police and ministers, as part of its efforts to dismantle Hamas’ governing ability.

“The continued presence of these officials and forces represents a symbol of defiance, showing they remain operational despite the onslaught,” he said.

On Monday, Hamas presented itself as triumphant for having survived, saying in a statement that “Gaza, with its great people and its resilience, will rise again to rebuild what the occupation has destroyed and continue on the path of steadfastness until the occupation is defeated.”