The mass killing does not mean Israel’s winning

What the report says

Al Jazeera published an opinion article on Oct. 7, 2026 arguing that Israel’s military campaign in Gaza has not delivered the political results its leaders said they wanted. The piece says the war, launched after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack three years earlier, has caused massive destruction in Gaza while failing to end Palestinian resistance, secure a lasting governing arrangement, or force a large-scale Palestinian exodus.

The author says Israeli aims included freeing captives, dismantling Hamas, imposing security control and creating an alternative administration for Gaza. According to the article, most captives were ultimately released through negotiation rather than military rescue, Hamas remains present in parts of the Strip, and plans for a new administrative body have not been implemented. It also notes that Israel controls much of Gaza but has not taken the remainder, citing the expected humanitarian and military costs.

The article links these outcomes to broader questions about war and legitimacy, arguing that battlefield power alone cannot produce political acceptance. It says the war has also deepened Israel’s international isolation, pointing to criticism at the United Nations, the International Criminal Court’s warrant for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and worsening public views of Israel in several countries.

Because this is an opinion piece, the claims and interpretations reflect the author’s view rather than a neutral news report. Still, it offers context for ongoing debates over Gaza’s future, postwar governance, and the limits of military force in resolving the conflict.