Hamas still has at least several hundred rockets and an operational tunnel network, but it is being met with challenges on multiple fronts, the IDF estimated on Monday.
There are approximately 40,000 armed terrorists belonging to various Gaza groups, along with an extensive tunnel network that is still operational, particularly in Gaza City, Khan Yunis, and central refugee camps, the IDF said.According to the army, “Hamas continues to transfer funds into the Gaza Strip using various methods, the most prominent of which is the sale of humanitarian aid trucks.”
It then uses the proceeds to purchase rental properties abroad, the IDF added.
Notably, one emerging phenomenon is that families are preventing Hamas members from setting up near their tents or homes, fearing retaliatory attacks in response to rocket fire or other terrorist activity, it continued.
Hamas is struggling to govern Gaza, not only because of a lack of humanitarian aid but also due to a drop in salary, the military added. Whereas in the past, the terrorist group’s average salary distributed was NIS 1,200, it has recently dropped to NIS 900 at best.
Still, given that Hamas faces severe financial strain after Israel stopped humanitarian aid from entering Gaza in March, according to the London-based Saudi Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, its terrorists have not been paid for almost three months.
IDF strikes over 200 Gaza targets
According to the report, Hamas’s Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades has struggled not only to pay its terrorists but also to buy military equipment. Palestinian Authority employees affiliated with Hamas have also been impacted, getting paid only NIS 900 a month, the report added.
In Gaza, government ministries have become dependent on international aid for fuel and medical supplies as funding for social and emergency services has almost stopped.
Asharq al-Awsat added that while Hamas’s military structure remains operational, the IDF strikes and ongoing military pressure have disrupted efforts, especially in northern and southern Gaza.
Additionally, Hamas’s popularity in Gaza has dropped significantly since the war began, with residents openly criticizing and protesting the terrorist group.
In late March, hundreds of Gazan citizens marched in the northern town of Beit Lahiya carrying white flags, calling to end the Hamas rule and to hand over the Israeli hostages, The Jerusalem Post previously reported.
In the West Bank, Hamas members have faced arrests and crackdowns by Israeli and Palestinian security forces. Many cells have been dismantled or lost funding, limiting their ability to carry out terrorist attacks, according to the report.
It added that Hamas is facing increasing pressure in Lebanon, where the government is demanding disarmament and indicating it will not tolerate actions that threaten Lebanese security.
Per Asharq al-Awsat, the terrorist organization is confronting an “unprecedented crisis” but believes it can recover once the war ends.