Israel Warns Hamas Retains Capacity for Attacks Despite Losses

Israeli security officials warn that Hamas is rebuilding its military capabilities in Gaza and threatening attacks against Israel, the West Bank, and targets abroad, according to reports published by Ynet and i24NEWS on October 22, 2026. Although officials do not believe the group can repeat the scale of its October 7, 2023, assault, they say it could attack military positions, abduct soldiers, or infiltrate Israeli communities.

The warning was conveyed through United Nations humanitarian coordinator Ramiz Alakbarov after Hamas officials met him at his Gaza office last week, according to Ynet. Alakbarov subsequently passed the message to Maj. Gen. Yoram Halevy, the coordinator of government activities in the territories, during a meeting on Wednesday, prompting an urgent briefing for senior Israeli political and security officials.

According to the reports, Hamas representatives linked their warning to continued Israeli military operations, changes to the yellow line marking Israel Defense Forces positions, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's cancellation of elections scheduled for November 28. The group indicated that it would no longer accept the existing situation.

Israeli intelligence assessments presented to the security cabinet indicate that Hamas has been accumulating weapons, recruiting personnel, and moving military equipment into civilian facilities. Officials also report that armed members are appearing more openly in Gaza, increasingly wearing uniforms and exercising authority over residents.

Israeli military officials say weapons have been found in civilian buildings, including hospitals and schools, during earlier stages of the war. They also suspect Hamas is distributing weapons to civilians to conceal part of its arsenal before any potential disarmament process, allowing the organization to claim compliance while retaining military resources.

At a cabinet meeting earlier in October, Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder described the remaining members of the force that crossed into Israel during the October 7 attack.

"Of the 6,000 who crossed the fence on October 7, 4,000 have been eliminated. Two thousand remain. We will get every last one of them," Binder said, according to an account of the meeting cited by Ynet.

Israeli assessments estimate that Hamas's armed wing still has tens of thousands of members, with some estimates placing its strength at approximately 30,000. The organization also retains an estimated 50,000 employees in government ministries under its control and continues to dominate Gaza's civilian administration, preventing a proposed technocratic government from beginning its work.

Israeli officials attribute Hamas's continued recruitment partly to years of indoctrination among young Gazans and partly to the group's ability to offer salaries exceeding those available through most other employment opportunities in the territory. Despite extensive damage to its military infrastructure, the organization retains personnel and resources that Israeli authorities consider significant.

The warnings come as international mediators and the Peace Council press Hamas to surrender its weapons under the Gaza agreement. According to Israeli assessments cited by Ynet, the group is using negotiations to delay disarmament, while Israeli officials say they have found no genuine willingness to relinquish its arsenal.

Israeli authorities also suspect Hamas could hand over defective weapons or equipment already known to Israeli intelligence while concealing other arms and personnel. Officials familiar with the assessments say there is no established date for renewed fighting and no known finalized operational plan for another attack.

The Israeli military nevertheless assesses that ground forces may eventually need to return to areas deep inside Gaza to dismantle Hamas's remaining military infrastructure. Israeli officials argue that an international force would not be able to complete that task, while arrangements for Gaza's future administration and security remain unresolved.