What is happening:

According to a New York Times report and Israeli intelligence findings, a significant amount of Hamas’ weaponry, including armament used in the recent massacre, originates from Israel itself and is also smuggled from the Sinai Peninsula. These include rifles and grenades taken from the IDF and explosives repurposed from Israeli missiles.

Why it matters:

This exposes a concerning self-arming cycle where the IDF’s unexploded ordnance leads to the reinforcement of Hamas’ arsenal, effectively rendering Israeli defensive efforts counterproductive by supplying the opposite side with the means to retaliate. The discovery of stolen IDF weapons and unexploded Israeli missiles refashioned into rockets illustrates a clear security challenge for Israel.

The big picture:

These occurrences come to light following an outbreak of violence where Hamas utilized not only self-manufactured weapons but also ones derived from the IDF’s unintentional contributions. Additionally, the effective smuggling network through Sinai underscores the region as a significant source for enabling the transfer of conflict armament to the Gaza strip.

More details:

Twelve tunnels running from Sinai to Gaza were operative at the onset of the war, facilitating the entry of weaponry from various conflicts—including those in Libya, Eritrea, and Afghanistan. Despite measures from both Israel and Egypt to seal off these illicit pathways, the arms smuggling enterprise remains robust, complicating security atmospherics in the region.

Among the culprits for weaponry acquisition, forensic examinations indicated that some rockets fired at Israel matched the components of previously undetonated Israeli missiles, underlining a grim irony in the cyclical nature of armament supplies.

Governmental perspective:

An Egyptian government spokesperson has indicated that the military is diligent in their efforts to curb tunnel-based smuggling, yet confirms that significant weapon inflows to Gaza originate from within Israel’s borders.

Behind the scenes:

Eyal Hulata, former Israeli National Security Advisor, mentioned that Hamas sustains a mixed-surface military production infrastructure in Gaza capable of significant output to reinforce their armaments.

Context:

These revelations align with long-term concerns about weapons proliferation and underscore the need for heightened security measures to deter theft from IDF reserves and forestall the reclamation and reconstruction of weapons from IDF engagements in Gaza.

This story was first published on ynetnews.com.