The IDF’s isolate-and-raid concept was operationally sound but worked only so long as the IDF was in the Gaza Strip.

1. Though Hamas is destroyed militarily, small cells of fighters remain throughout the strip.
2. They will exploit the IDF withdrawal to establish a sanctuary for themselves and begin reconstitution efforts.
3. Hamas may thus be able to reverse over time some of the hard-fought victories that the IDF achieved.

A Hamas force reconstituted under these conditions is very unlikely to be able to launch another October 7, 2023 style attack any time soon, however.