IDF: Hamas Rebuilds Military Capabilities in UNRWA HQ

July 16, 2024

by: Yoav Zitun ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 16 July 2024 | IDF [Israel Defense Forces] forces operating in a compound used as the headquarters of UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East] in Gaza found Hamas had rebuilt its military capabilities in the six months since troops withdrew from the area.

In the compound that was housing displaced civilians, the soldiers found workshops for the production of UAVs and other weapons as well as rockets and explosives. Military commando units operated in the compound for the past week.

Situated between the Al-Sabra neighborhood and Tel al-Hawa in the northern part of the Strip, the complex included a terrorist recruitment office and food warehouses. These warehouses, meant for humanitarian aid, were found storing rockets and explosive devices. Hamas-controlled food distribution lines were handing out vouchers to thousands of displaced Gazans daily.

Within the warehouse complex near the university, the fighters discovered large UAVs that Hamas had constructed over recent months. The area showed clear signs of military recovery. Hamas had placed military-grade explosive devices and built observation posts and a forward command post (FCP) for managing the complex.

The commanders involved in the operation reported encountering combined attacks that didn’t strictly follow guerrilla warfare norms. These included a synchronized use of explosives with mortar fire and the deployment of snipers and anti-tank missile squads.

“Hamas still has squad, platoon and company commanders, and it operates in a different manner—more guerrilla-like and less as a full military framework,” an IDF spokesperson said. “This requires us to adapt and identify the advantages and disadvantages of this transformation. Hamas is trying to replenish its ranks, so we operate repeatedly in these areas based on precise intelligence that allows focused action. It will take time to destroy this enemy.”

The New York Times published a report on Hamas’s combat methods in Gaza, which heavily rely on guerrilla tactics and blending into the civilian population. The investigation, based on the analysis of Hamas battle videos and interviews with both Hamas fighters and IDF soldiers, paints a picture of a systematic exploitation of civilians and civilian infrastructure for military purposes. The Times accused Hamas of perpetuating the conflict, destruction, death and displacement of civilians in the Strip.

According to the investigation, Hamas utilizes an extensive tunnel system stretching hundreds of kilometers, whose scale surprised IDF commanders. These tunnels facilitate the movement of fighters and weapons across the Strip without exposing them to Israeli forces. Hamas also hides militants, tunnel entrances and ammunition depots in residential homes, medical facilities, UN offices and mosques, further blurring the lines between civilians and combatants, the Times wrote in its report.

Posted on July 16, 2024

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on July 15, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo License: Wikimedia

Photo Credit: UNRWA/wikimedia.org