Hamas preparing for new round of fighting with Israel – report

With end of first phase of ceasefire just days away and no agreement on phase two in sight, Gaza terror group reportedly rushing to repair tunnels and terror infrastructure and redeploy armed forces for new round of fighting with Israel.

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization is actively preparing for a new round of fighting with Israel, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, as talks for the implementation of the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal continue in Doha, Qatar.

The first phase of the ceasefire is slated to end this coming Sunday, and with no comprehensive deal in the offing in the brokered talks in Doha, Hamas is said to be quietly gearing up for resumed fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Anonymous sources informed the Journal that the Islamist terror group is in the midst of planning the redeployment of it forces across Gaza, in preparation for possible Israeli incursions.

Hamas is also said to be rebuilding terror tunnels and restoring other infrastructure critical for hostilities with IDF ground forces.

The report claimed that Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the commander of Hamas’ military forces in the northern Gaza Strip, met this month with other senior Hamas officials to draft plans for a new round of hostilities with Israel.

The terror group is also working frantically to train new combatants to replace terrorists killed in the war with Israel. In addition, Hamas is said to be expanding its efforts to identify Gazans who have collaborated with Israel.

On Wednesday, Hamas issued a statement rejecting President Donald Trump’s Gaza resettlement plan, and demanding an end to the “ongoing Israeli occupation.”

“Unfortunately, Trump is reintroducing ideas that do not take into account the culture and interests of the Palestinian people,” Hamas politburo member and former Gaza health minister Bassem Naim said.

“Our goal is not to improve prison conditions, but to end the occupation and be free of it.”

Hamas has thus far rejected Israel’s demands at the Doha talks for the disarmament and removal of Hamas forces from Gaza as a condition for implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire deal.

Egyptian and Qatari brokers have suggested the two sides extend the current arrangement temporarily, should no comprehensive deal be reached by the March 2nd deadline.