Security sources: "Hamas is starting to have a governance problem in Gaza, its ability to deter has been damaged"
Heading towards a change of direction in Gaza? The Shin Bet and intelligence officials identify a growing willingness of the terrorist organization to increase friction with Israel. In the background: a deep governance crisis of the terrorist organization.
Intelligence officials and the Shin Bet identify a growing willingness of Hamas to engage in friction with Israel. The trend is identified for the first time since the start of the first phase of the Donald Trump plan, almost a year ago. The reason: the security establishment identifies a deep governance crisis of the terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip. Eight operatives were killed recently in internal clashes between clans within Hamas. In recent days, the launching of kites from the Gaza Strip towards Israel has resumed.
Intelligence officials and the Shin Bet have identified in recent days a growing willingness of the terrorist organization Hamas to engage in friction with Israel. This trend is identified for the first time since the start of the first phase of the plan of US President Donald Trump to end the fighting, which led more than 10 months ago to the release of all the hostages who remained in the Gaza Strip. Until now, Hamas avoided friction with Israel and sought to maintain quiet for the purpose of organization and rehabilitation within the territory of the Gaza Strip. Even in response to IDF strikes and the elimination of senior officials in the terrorist organization, Hamas preferred to remain silent. Now, the security establishment identifies a change in approach, which is expressed, among other things, in the resumption of kite launches towards Israeli territory.
The cause of the change is Hamas's governance crisis in the Gaza Strip. In a situation assessment held in recent days, intelligence officials and the Shin Bet explained that Hamas is dealing with a difficult governance problem. According to security sources, there has been damage to the organization's ability to deter within the Gaza Strip.
Intelligence officials and the Shin Bet said in a situation assessment to the political echelon the following:
"Hamas is starting to have a governance problem in Gaza, we identify an abnormal amount of clashes between internal clans in Hamas. Its ability to deter from a governance perspective has been damaged."
In the clashes that broke out recently between the clans, eight operatives were killed. Security officials noted in the discussion that it is necessary to examine how the situation can be exploited to make things difficult for Hamas and harm it dramatically within the Gaza Strip.
Minister of Defense Israel Katz addressed the findings at the end of the discussion and clarified that the IDF has no limitation in the use of force to remove threats:
"The policy of firm enforcement on this issue must be implemented."
Now the question is whether Hamas will escalate its activity against Israel to increase friction with the IDF, and whether Israel will exploit the damage to the organization's governance to harm it within the territory of the Gaza Strip.
