Security Officials: Hamas Regaining Control of Gaza

By Almog Boker

The IDF and Israel’s security system believe the time has come to significantly reduce the scope of humanitarian aid entering the Gaza Strip. According to officials familiar with the details, the approach that prevailed in the days immediately following the war is no longer relevant, and there is currently no real shortage in Gaza that justifies the entry of around 600 trucks per day.

"Four Times the Required Amount"

Data revealed by N12 points to a massive gap between humanitarian needs in gaza and the actual volume of aid entering. A security official said that "every day, food enters Gaza in quantities four times greater than what is required according to the UN’s official methodology". Officials added that the relative abundance is allowing Hamas to exploit the situation for economic gain and strengthening.

Security officials assess that the overwhelming majority of the aid ultimately reaches Hamas. The terror organization reportedly imposes taxes on Gaza merchants reaching up to 30%, with the money directed toward military and governmental buildup.

"The humanitarian aid has become an economic engine for Hamas, funneling hundreds of millions of shekels into its coffers at the expense of the population", military officials said.

Rebuilding Governance Under the Cover of the Ceasefire

While Israel continues to uphold its side of the agreements, security officials warned that Hamas is deliberately exploiting the ceasefire to strengthen its capabilities. According to them, Hamas ministries and municipalities have resumed operating in an almost full capacity, as the organization reestablishes its control as the governing authority in the Strip.

Officials say this activity includes aggressive tax collection in markets ranging from 15% to 30%, looting aid shipments, and smuggling attempts, All of this, while Hamas consistently refuses to meet the fundamental conditions of the ceasefire agreement - first and foremost the demand to disarm.

On the Brink of a Diplomatic Explosion

The accumulating violations by Hamas are bringing the diplomatic arena to a boiling point. N12 has learned that Nickolay Mladenov is close to making a dramatic declaration that Israel is no longer obligated to adhere to the ceasefire agreement, given what officials describe as Hamas’ blatant violations.

According to Israeli officials, Mladenov has so far refrained from taking this step only because of heavy pressure from mediators attempting to formulate a compromise that would prevent the collapse of the agreement.

At the same time, the IDF has made clear that the current situation, in which humanitarian aid effectively fuels Hamas rule, cannot continue.

"Hamas’ insistence on refusing to disarm and its takeover of resources require us to recalculate our course", security officials concluded.