Will Israel's repeated strikes on Hamas's replacement commanders lead to lasting change? - analysis

The IDF's elimination of Hamas Rafah Brigade commander Samir Mahmoud Hassan Abu Younis overnight Saturday on November 14-15 illustrates an emerging pattern in Israel's operations in Gaza. The Israeli military is systematically targeting Hamas commanders who have recently been appointed to replace senior officers killed earlier in the war.Will this prevent Hamas from rebuilding its forces? Or, if the tactic is not paired with a strategy to remove Hamas, will this merely be another iteration of what the IDF has done in the past?The IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said on November 15 that they had eliminated Abu Younis in a strike in the southern Gaza Strip. "Samir Abu Younis served as the commander of the Rafah Brigade for only approximately two months, following the elimination of the brigade's previous commander, Nael Abu Obeid, on September 15," the IDF said.The Israeli military noted that Abu Younis had previously served as deputy commander of the Rafah Brigade and commander of the Tel al-Sultan Battalion. He was not a new figure within Hamas's military hierarchy. He was an experienced officer promoted to replace commanders who had been eliminated. It's surprising he had survived this long since most Hamas battalion and company commanders were eliminated in the last three years of war.According to the IDF, Abu Younis directed attacks against Israeli…