The Reuters news agency reported last night (Friday) that Hamas has recruited between 10,000 and 15,000 operatives since the war of iron swords began. The information was provided by two sources in Congress who were briefed by US intelligence. According to them, Hamas fighters, who are supported by Iran, may remain a threat to Israel.
American intelligence indicates that a similar number of Hamas terrorists were eliminated during the war. The sources who spoke with the news agency clarified that many of the activists recruited by the organization are young and inexperienced, and they perform simple security operations.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence in the US refused to comment on the article.
“Every time Israel completes its military operations and retreats, Hamas militants regroup and reawaken because there is nothing else to fill the void,” said the former foreign minister in Lincoln about ten days ago. “This is a recipe for a continuous uprising and a constant war.”
On Sunday this week, the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas came into effect, after 15 months of fighting. Reuters wrote that in the days that have passed since the start of the ceasefire, Hamas has shown that it still controls Gaza, and it has begun to restore the provision of basic services in parts of the Strip.