Despite the extensive destruction caused by the IDF’s ground operations across Gaza, including the obliteration of key underground infrastructures belonging to Hamas and Islamic Jihad, reports suggest that Hamas has managed to preserve portions of its systems, and it is now actively preparing for another potential confrontation with the IDF.

According to a report in Walla, the IDF is deeply concerned that Hamas may exploit the large influx of humanitarian aid to smuggle weapons and advanced technological equipment into Gaza. As a result, strict directives have been issued to intensify inspections at border crossings. This comes amid discussions of transferring security responsibility over the Rafah Crossing to the Palestinian Authority and Egypt.

The Walla report highlights that the IDF’s Southern Command has entered a phase of heightened operational preparedness, focusing on multiple areas. These include refining its target bank, bolstering intelligence collection, and conducting essential maintenance on tanks, armored personnel carriers, bulldozers, trucks, and other combat vehicles that have endured wear and tear due to the sustained fighting.

Commanders in the Southern Command are meticulously planning the next phases of combat in coordination with the IDF Operations Directorate, Military Intelligence, and the Air Force, employing strategies designed to deceive and outmaneuver the enemy.

While IDF officials believe the current ceasefire—brokered with the backing of the United States, Egypt, and Qatar—will hold, they are preparing for the possibility of its sudden collapse. Southern Command has been instructed to ensure that the military can rapidly return to combat operations if necessary. Efforts have also been accelerated to fortify defensive positions, construct new outposts, and build firing walls.

“Our goal is that Israeli civilians living near the border can open their windows and see IDF soldiers protecting them, rather than threats from the other side,” a senior official in the Southern Command told Walla.

Reflecting on the lessons learned from the October 7th attacks, the official noted, “Hamas exploited our vulnerabilities to the fullest. The situation now is different, but we are preparing for every scenario, including surprises.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)