A series of targeted killings of Hamas terrorists, including senior figures like military leader Mohammed Deif, has sparked panic within the organization.
On Wednesday, Hamas’s Interior Ministry took the unusual step of issuing a statement through the pro-Hamas Al Jazeera channel, expressing concern about a possible surge in Gazans being recruited as collaborators with Israel.
Israeli airstrikes in Gaza
(Video: IDF Spokesperson's Unit)
“Israel has intensified efforts to recruit Palestinians for its intelligence services to gather information on the resistance,” the statement said. “Security forces have arrested several individuals involved in collaboration with Israel, and they are now under investigation.”
The statement also alleged that Israeli agents were posing as representatives of aid organizations to gather intelligence and extort civilians. Some of those contacted by Israel, it claimed, were threatened with the bombing of their homes and the killing of their families if they refused to cooperate.
Hamas’ security forces are actively combating Israeli intelligence efforts and warning Gaza residents to be wary of such “deception.” For weeks, Hamas operatives have been questioning how Israel has been able to successfully target key figures, revealing potential internal weaknesses within the organization.
The atmosphere of fear among local residents is growing. “Anyone even slightly suspected will find themselves abducted and tortured underground with little chance of returning home,” a Gaza resident told Ynet.
An instructional video on avoiding Israeli reconnaissance drones
Hamas’ Al Majd security unit, established by the terrorist group's leader Yahya Sinwar, continues to function, focusing on capturing collaborators with Israel and preventing intelligence breaches by other factions. Recently, the unit called on West Bank Palestinians to “storm settlements,” similar to the October 7 attacks, and circulated videos with tips on avoiding drone strikes and surveillance.
On Monday, Saudi network Al Arabiya reported that a Hamas courier responsible for relaying messages between operatives allegedly revealed the location of Mohammed Deif, enabling Israel to kill him in an airstrike last month.
According to sources cited in the Saudi report, Hamas’ investigation after the July 13 Khan Younis strike revealed that the informant was a member of Hamas’ military wing, responsible for conveying messages from Rafah Brigade Commander Mohammed Shabana—who remains at large—to various Hamas operatives.
The informant, reportedly from a large family in Rafah, is also said to have provided Israel with detailed maps of Rafah, including tunnels and weapons caches. It is unclear what ultimately happened to the courier, but the report stated that he remains “under investigation.”