Hamas terror squads still in Israel: IDF October 18, 2023Gaza terrorists, October 4th, 2023 - days before the Hamas invasion. (Yousef Mohammed/Flash90) Yousef Mohammed/Flash90Hamas terror squads still in Israel: IDFThe Israeli army has not been forthcoming about how many terrorists are believed to have entered Israel during the deadly incursion. By World Israel News StaffScores of heavily armed Hamas terrorists who broke through the Gaza border fence on October 7th are likely still present in Israel, the Israeli army admitted in a situational assessment on Wednesday.According to the report, those squads are likely maintaining a low profile and hiding in the Negev desert region, awaiting commands to launch surprise attacks against civilians.Nearly two weeks ago, thousands of Hamas operatives infiltrated into Israel on the Simchat Torah holiday, slaughtering residents in the streets of the southern cities of Sderot and Ofakim.In kibbutzim along the border fence, the terrorists went door-to-door, murdering entire families and setting homes alight with their residents still inside, in scenes reminiscent of Nazi-era atrocities.The Israeli army has not been forthcoming about how many terrorists are believed to have entered Israel during the deadly incursion.However, the army recently announced that it is holding the bodies of some 1,500 terrorists, who were killed in clashes with the IDF and police.Considering that social media footage depicted hordes of terrorists successfully making their way back into Gaza on October 7th, the number of those who originally entered Israel is thought to have been in the thousands.Read WATCH: Thousands celebrate Simchat Torah holiday at scene of Nova massacreIt took nearly two days for IDF troops to regain control of many of the kibbutzim along the Gaza border, as terrorists shot at troops and Gaza-based cells launched rockets at the communities.During those intense firefights and rocket bombardments, while the fence was still seriously compromised, more terrorists may have entered the country.The IDF did not publicly provide a number regarding how many terrorists from Gaza could potentially be present in Israel.The army also expressed concerns regarding attacks along the Egyptian border fence, which could be launched by Islamist cells sympathetic to Hamas. Arab terrorCounterterrorismHamashamas terroristIDFNegevOctober 7thSwords of Iron War