Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies, says Hamas is using the ceasefire to rebuild military, governance and recruitment networks in Gaza. A December Jewish News Syndicate report found Hamas is reestablishing a "regime of terror" across nearly half the territory it controls. Michael warns the movement has regained freedom of movement, is recruiting teenagers with small stipends, rebuilding tunnels, appointing governors and restocking military supplies — and that a leadership change is unlikely to alter its commitment to armed resistance.
Analyst: Hamas Using Ceasefire To Rebuild Military, Governance And Recruit Teenagers In Gaza
Hamas terrorists stand guard on the day of the handover of hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023, attack.
A leading national security analyst warns that Hamas is using the current ceasefire with Israel to reconstruct its military capabilities and governance structures across large parts of Gaza — and to recruit a new generation of teenage fighters.
Professor Kobi Michael, a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies and the Misgav Institute, told Fox News Digital that the pause in fighting has given Hamas breathing room to regroup and rearm.
"Everything that is happening will continue happening as long as Hamas continues to effectively control the western part of the Gaza Strip," Michael said, adding that "Hamas now has full freedom of movement."
After Israeli forces withdrew from parts of Gaza in October under a ceasefire arrangement, Hamas moved quickly to fill the resulting power vacuum. Local police returned to some streets while, according to multiple reports, Hamas fighters targeted and executed suspected opponents as the movement reasserted influence.
Banners with the photograph of Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas terrorist leader who was killed in an Israeli attack, are hung on the streets in Tehran, Iran on Oct. 19, 2024. The giant banner hung in Palestine Square read, "Sinwar's Storm continues."
Rebuilding Across Large Areas
Multiple accounts indicate Hamas is rebuilding across significant portions of Gaza, including zones where the Israel Defense Forces previously operated. A December report by the Jewish News Syndicate concluded that Hamas is "actively rebuilding its regime of terror" in nearly half of the territory it controls.
Leadership Contest But Little Change Expected
Hamas is preparing to choose a new political leader following the reported deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. The Jerusalem Post has identified senior figures Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashaal as leading contenders, with al-Hayya widely viewed as the favorite because of his standing in Gaza and his role in the West Bank. Michael said the internal contest is unlikely to change the group’s overall direction.
"Both leaders are problematic," he said. "Each one, in his own way, is considered to be more militant and more radical in his Gazan orientation and his support for armed resistance." He added that even Mashaal, often seen as more political, remains supportive of continued armed resistance.
Hamas politburo member Khalil al-Hayya attends a news conference in Damascus, Syria October 19, 2022.
Recruiting Teenagers
One of Michael’s most disturbing observations is Hamas’s growing success in enlisting teenagers during the ceasefire. He said recruitment has become "very easy" because of Hamas’s effective control over western Gaza, where the movement has become one of the most reliable employers, providing small stipends to boys as young as 16 or 17.
Michael noted that some youths join out of a desire for revenge after losing relatives, while others are drawn by local social dynamics and limited economic alternatives.
Restoring Capabilities
Michael also said Hamas has regained freedom of movement to rebuild tunnel networks, appointed new governors to Gaza districts, and is reconstituting both governmental structures and military stockpiles. These moves, he warned, enable long-term regeneration of the group’s operational capabilities.
Analysts caution that, unless the underlying political and security dynamics change, the ceasefire period could allow Hamas to strengthen its capacity to resume hostilities in the future.
