IDF: Hamas May Incite Palestinian Mob to Storm Israel’s Border

The IDF are bracing for a potential crisis as Hamas intensifies efforts to disrupt humanitarian aid distribution in Gaza, raising fears of a mass Palestinian rush on Israel’s border. According to Walla, the IDF held a special situation assessment today (Tuesday) where a senior security official warned that “Hamas understands it is no longer the sole entity controlling the Strip” and is aggressively trying to seize control of aid flows.

The assessment focused on Hamas’s attempts to sabotage food package distribution by an American company at three sites in Rafah. Tens of thousands of packages, each sufficient for a family of 50 for five days, have been distributed, but Hamas has deployed armed operatives to block pedestrian routes to the centers, even opening live fire on civilians, as revealed by IDF drone footage. Despite these threats, Gazans have found alternate paths to access the aid.

Hamas’s tactics include psychological warfare and spreading false information to deter civilians from collecting food. A security official, who declined to identify the aid’s funders, said the IDF plans to expand and refine distribution centers to reach more people. However, Southern Command estimates suggest that as aid efforts grow, more Palestinians will move south, potentially escalating tensions.

The IDF is preparing for extreme scenarios, including Hamas sending unaffiliated operatives to attack distribution sites or inciting crowds in central and southern Gaza camps to storm the Israeli border. To counter this, the IDF has deployed reserve forces, enhanced intelligence monitoring, and clarified rules of engagement for field commanders.

Complicating matters, UN officials in Gaza have refused for over a week to move 390 aid trucks from the Kerem Shalom crossing to central Gaza, citing legal issues. Israeli security sources dismiss these as excuses, alleging Hamas is pressuring the UN to undermine the American-led distribution effort, which is currently limited to southern Gaza to draw populations away from the north and center.

As Hamas’s grip on Gaza weakens, the IDF remains vigilant, wary of the terror group’s ability to inflame unrest and destabilize the region further.