Hamas's Changed Tactics

With the defeat of most of its battalions, Hamas, has changed its tactics and is using the UN facilities, schools, hospitals and the civilian population to hide its remaining armed groups, often dressed in civilian clothes,  from the eyes of the IDF.

There is no other terrorist or “armed group” in the world that has systematically used UN facilities the way Hamas has done in Gaza. The systematic use of schools, for instance, is a serious crime by Hamas against the people of Gaza. Yet, throughout nine months of fighting, the terrorist group has increasingly used UN facilities and has not decreased their use.

From the start, Hamas saw Shifa hospital not just as a place to send a few men to hide but to bring hundreds of terrorists. Perhaps 1,000 Hamas terrorists were gathered in the large hospital compound and buildings nearby. This means that Hamas saw the hospital as key to its command and control of Gaza.

It’s important to see Hamas's use of the UNRWA facility and Shifa as part of a larger context. It is not just by chance that Hamas moves into these places like it is a second Hamas. Its presence is considered normal in these places because Hamas is seen as the norm, as the “governing authority” by the UN and NGOs that never mention it by name in statements.

They usually call it an “armed group.” But the armed group sends men in civilian clothes through the doors of these facilities, and no one bars their way. This is because they are perceived either as welcome guests, partners, or as a mafia-like presence that the organizations cannot say no to.

Hamas did not suspect that the IDF would return to operate there a second time in July.

Nevertheless, in spite of these tactics, the IDF, through its ground forces, its Airforce and intelligence division, is slowly but surely eliminating location after location. Further so many of the Hamas leaders have now been eliminated that there is little command and control of the remaining terrorists.