Watan-The intelligence gathered by Israel regarding Hamas tunnels in Gaza, as reported by the Hebrew newspaper Haaretz, is said to fall short of accurately reflecting the true scale, development, and intricacies of the tunnel network.
In an analysis by military analyst Amos Harel, the newspaper reveals that the overall understanding of the Israeli military intelligence concerning Gaza’s tunnels is significantly distant from the actual size and degree of sophistication of the tunnel project.
The article contends that the depiction of the battles in the Gaza Strip is more complex than the narrative presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who attempts to portray them as achieving tremendous success. It suggests that some of Israel’s claimed successes may stem from Hamas’s efforts to preserve its strength for the upcoming stages of the conflict.
Israeli Intelligence Faces Failure
According to the military analyst, the intelligence information gathered by Israel regarding Hamas tunnels in Gaza does not reflect their true size, level of development, or complexity. It falls far short of the actual scale of this project on the ground, which may be the largest of its kind in the world.
The analysis, conveyed by intelligence officials in the West and in Israel as well, suggests that the leadership of the movement and its military wing have built capabilities that allow them to remain in the tunnels for several months.
Israeli Military Operation Ends in Failure
Israeli observers have affirmed that the alleged military successes following the strike on Gaza with 30,000 tons of dynamite are invisible so far. They point out, for example, the absence of images showing destroyed tunnels, surrenders, or the assassination of a large number of Palestinian fighters or prominent leaders in the resistance.
Harel quoted officers in the occupying army leading the battle in Gaza and other officials managing it in the general staff, stating that the image of the war is more complex than what is being portrayed.
In line with some Israeli observers, he warned that the reality of the combat situation is more complicated than the picture Netanyahu is trying to paint, describing it as an exceptionally successful phenomenon.
And he warned that what is considered current Israeli successes, characterized by incursions with minimal losses, stem from Hamas’s desire to retain its strength for the days ahead, intending to lure Israeli forces into Gaza.
He added, explaining: “In some places, Hamas prefers to keep its elements in underground tunnels. In the face of the large Israeli army forces, it only sends small groups that focus on launching anti-tank missiles from close range and attempting to place explosive devices on tanks and armored personnel carriers. Perhaps Hamas wants to maintain most of its strength in this way.”
The Israeli writer believes that the fact that Hamas currently rejects any actual negotiations regarding the release of a large number of Israeli prisoners may also indicate that its leadership does not currently see the situation as critical.
He points out that the past two days have seen a certain decrease in the volume of rocket launches towards the Tel Aviv area, and this could be attributed to two reasons, in his opinion: the difficulty for Hamas to launch rockets from the northern Gaza Strip amid Israeli army attacks and the desire to leave enough medium-range rockets for the next stages of the fighting.
In the writer’s opinion, a war of this magnitude may not last long, and he mentioned that the United States, which supports the Israeli operation, is pushing for longer humanitarian ceasefires. It sends signals that in the near future, there will be a need to consider changing the shape of the combat.
A prolonged war in the south
The Southern Command in the Israeli army aims for several more months to complete the operation of striking Hamas, especially in the northern Gaza Strip. They plan to meticulously comb these areas with the goal of hitting the resistance fighters and collecting weapons.
As for the envisioned reality for the day after the war, the Israeli army states that the answers are “not clear” at this stage.
They assert that the prevailing thinking in the army is that it is possible to dismantle the military and organizational strength of Hamas, but not to completely eliminate it, as eradicating an idea or ideology is deemed impossible.
