In the wake of a ceasefire with Israel, Hamas is reportedly using this lull to fortify its military capabilities, reestablish a leadership structure, and recruit young fighters. This insight comes from a leading national security analyst who highlights the group’s strategic moves amid the pause in hostilities.
Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher affiliated with the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, discusses with Fox News Digital how the cessation of conflict has provided Hamas with a critical opportunity to regroup and strengthen its position in Gaza.
“The current dynamics will persist as long as Hamas maintains effective control over the western part of the Gaza Strip,” warns Michael. He emphasizes that the group now enjoys “full freedom of movement,” which aids in its rebuilding efforts.
An image captured by Reuters shows Hamas fighters on guard during the handover of hostages, a stark reminder of the ongoing tensions since the violent events of October 7, 2023.
Following the withdrawal of Israeli forces from certain areas of Gaza under the newly established ceasefire, Hamas has swiftly moved to occupy the resultant power vacuum. This strategic positioning allows them to enhance their influence and continue their operations unhindered.
Since Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza in October under a new ceasefire framework, Hamas has moved to fill the power vacuum.
At the time, police forces returned to the streets as Hamas fighters targeted and executed suspected opponents.
Multiple reports indicate Hamas is now rebuilding across significant portions of Gaza, including areas where the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) previously operated.
A December report by the Jewish News Syndicate found that Hamas is “actively rebuilding its regime of terror” in nearly half of the territory it controls.
Banners with the photograph of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas terrorist leader who was killed in an Israeli attack, are hung on the streets in Tehran, Iran on Oct. 19, 2024. The giant banner hung 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 of the Oct. 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 because of his popularity in Gaza and his role in the West Bank.
Michael said the leadership race is unlikely to alter Hamas’s already dangerous course.
“Both leaders are problematic,” he said. “Each one, in his own way, is considered to be more militant and more radical in his Gazan orientation and his support for armed resistance.”
Even Mashaal, often described as more politically oriented, “is still in favor of the continuation of armed resistance,” Michael added.
Hamas politburo member Khalil al-Hayya attends a news conference in Damascus, Syria October 19, 2022. (Yamam al Shaar/REUTERS/File Photo)
“When it comes to Hamas, it doesn’t really matter who is going to be the next political leader of this terror organization.”
Michael said one of the most alarming developments is Hamas’s growing success in recruiting teenagers during the ceasefire.
“It has become very easy for Hamas to recruit teenagers now because they effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip,” he said, noting Hamas has become “the most reliable employer in the Gaza Strip,” offering small incomes to boys as young as 16 or 17.
“It seems to be very natural for them to join Hamas, because some of them have also lost relatives, and therefore there’s a revenge incentive.”
“They also might prefer to be in the bullyish-types of neighborhoods, like in the ghettos in Chicago,” he said.
Michael suggested that because Hamas has “full freedom of movement, they have also been rebuilding tunnels.”
“They also appointed new governors to the different districts in Gaza and are reconstituting their government and military stockpiles,” Michael added.
