Hamas is rebuilding a new terror apparatus in Gaza and is using the ceasefire with Israel to strengthen its army, rebuild a problematic leadership structure and recruit a new generation of teenage fighters, a leading national security analyst said.
“Whatever is happening will continue to happen as long as Hamas continues to effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip,” Michael said.
“In general, Hamas now has complete freedom of movement,” he warned.
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Hamas terrorists stand guard on the day of the handover of hostages held in Gaza since the deadly attack on October 7, 2023. (Hatem Khaled/Reuters)
Since Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza in October under a new ceasefire, Hamas has moved to fill the power vacuum.
At the time, police forces returned to the streets as Hamas fighters attacked and executed suspected opponents.
Multiple reports indicate that Hamas is now rebuilding large parts of Gaza, including areas where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) previously operated.
A December report from the Jewish News Syndicate found that Hamas is “actively rebuilding its terror regime” in nearly half of the territory it controls.
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Banners with the photo of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas terrorist leader who was killed in an Israeli attack, are hung in the streets of Tehran, Iran, on October 19, 2024. The giant banner hanging in Palestine Square read: “Sinwar’s Storm Continues.” (Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Hamas is also preparing to elect a new political leader following the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, the mastermind behind the October 7 massacre in Israel.
According to The Jerusalem Post, senior Hamas figures Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal are the contenders, with Hayya seen as the favorite due to his popularity in Gaza and his role in the West Bank.
Michael said the leadership race is unlikely to change Hamas’ already dangerous course.
“Both leaders are problematic,” he said. “Everyone is seen in their own way as more militant and radical in their Gazan orientation and their support for armed resistance.”
Even Mashaal, often described as more politically oriented, “is still in favor of the continuation of armed resistance,” Michael added.
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Khalil al-Hayya, member of the Hamas Politburo, attends a press conference in Damascus, Syria, on October 19, 2022. (Yamam al Shaar/REUTERS/File Photo)
“When it comes to Hamas, it doesn’t really matter who becomes the next political leader of this terrorist organization.”
Michael said one of the most alarming developments is Hamas’ growing success in recruiting teenagers during the ceasefire.
“It has now become very easy for Hamas to recruit teenagers because they effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip,” he said, noting that Hamas has become “the most reliable employer in the Gaza Strip,” offering boys as young as 16 or 17 a small income.
“It seems very natural for them to join Hamas because some of them have also lost family members, and therefore there is an incentive for revenge.”
“They would also prefer to stay in bullying neighborhoods, such as the ghettos of Chicago,” he said.
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Michael suggested that because Hamas has “complete freedom of movement, it has also rebuilt tunnels.”
“They have also appointed new governors for the various districts in Gaza and are reconstituting their government and military stocks,” Michael added.
