In Gaza, as essential supplies diminish, one group appears abundantly equipped: Hamas.
Reports from Arab and Western officials support Israel’s assertions of Hamas amassing critical supplies, encompassing food, fuel, and weaponry, in an intricate network of tunnels beneath the strip. These preparations suggest Hamas could sustain a prolonged conflict, a reality Israel might confront should it carry out its threat to invade Gaza.
The amassed provisions reportedly include vast quantities of fuel for both vehicles and rockets, ammunition, explosives, and resources to manufacture more. Moreover, there are substantial reserves of food, water, and medicine. Estimates indicate that Hamas, comprising an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 militants, might endure three to four months without replenishment.
A released Israeli hostage highlighted Hamas’s provision of scarce items like medicine, shampoo, and feminine hygiene products, which are in acute shortage in Gaza after the recent attack by the terrorist group and the subsequent comprehensive blockade imposed by Israel, with Egypt’s support.
Arab and Western sources, sharing insights on Hamas’s supplies, disclosed this information anonymously, drawing from human sources, intercepted communications, and other intelligence streams. The underground storage of stockpiles makes specific details on Hamas’s supplies challenging to ascertain.
Despite the severe blockade, which has forced Gaza’s approximately 2 million residents to scrounge for meager sustenance, Hamas’s fighting capacity has not yet appeared to weaken. The militants continue launching rockets at Israel and repelling initial Israeli forays into the enclave.
This stockpiling underscores Hamas’s operational prowess, underlining the importance of logistics in warfare. However, it raises concerns about the group’s responsibility to the civilian population facing an impending humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
