Hamas using women, children to test IDF forces in Gaza for weak spots

IDF soldiers say Hamas is working to bolster its position along the ceasefire line, using women and children to probe Israel’s border security for weaknesses while becoming increasingly daring in its infiltration attempts.

By World Israel News Staff

Hamas is ratcheting up its operations along the ceasefire line inside of the Gaza Strip, according to a report by Israel’s Galei Tzahal radio, with increasingly daring attempts to infiltrate the Israeli-controlled side.

Soldiers from the IDF’s Alexandroni Brigade told Galei Tzahal that Hamas has begun systematically testing IDF forces along the Yellow Line on a daily basis, often using women and children to probe for weak spots in the IDF’s defenses.

One Alexandroni Brigade soldier told Galei Tzahal that the use of civilians by Hamas to test for holes in the army’s defensive line creates a “dilemma” for soldiers.

“When there is an armed terrorist who poses a threat, there is no dilemma,” he said. “The dilemma arises when you see women and children. We are still a humanitarian army.”

While unarmed civilians are frequently spotted attempting to cross the Yellow Line, soldiers added that there are also regular infiltration attempts by armed terrorists carrying assault rifles, pistols, and at times even axes.

The increased incidence of small infiltration attempts has raised fears that Hamas could be preparing for a major infiltration, possibly by an elite terrorist unit, such as a company of Nukhba Force terrorists.

Israeli officers deployed to Gaza warned that Hamas “is reconstituting itself, growing stronger” during the ceasefire.

Hamas “has replaced the commanders who were eliminated and is far from raising the white flag.”

There are still a number of active tunnel networks near the Yellow Line, IDF commanders said, with one commenting that “no matter how many tunnels you may think there are, there are always even more.”