Hamas's Hidden Arsenal: Hundreds of Rockets, Thousands of Rifles, and Tunnels Endure in Gaza

Despite two years of relentless Israeli operations, Hamas terrorists still wield a formidable stockpile of weapons, including hundreds of rockets capable of striking central Israel, over 10,000 rifles, and more than half of their sprawling tunnel network, security officials revealed on Wednesday. The grim assessment underscores the persistent threat posed by the terrorist organization, even as its ranks have been decimated in the war ignited by the October 7, 2023, massacre that slaughtered 1,200 Israelis and kidnapped 251. While the IDF has eliminated over 280 senior Hamas commanders, company-level and above, since the war began, and the elite Nukhba force, which led the barbaric assault, now faces severe manpower shortages, Hamas is actively regrouping to claw back its pre-war strength. From strategic high points in Gaza's urban labyrinth to concealed tunnel entrances, the terrorists exploit these strongholds to launch attacks on IDF troops, defying efforts to dismantle their infrastructure.

The enduring tunnel network, once stretching over 500 kilometers beneath Gaza, remains a critical asset, with more than half still operational despite IDF campaigns like Operation Gideon's Chariots, which demolished 1,200 terror sites in Khan Younis alone in June 2025. These subterranean passages, often rigged with explosives and used to ambush soldiers or hold hostages, enable Hamas to strike and retreat, as seen in the October 19 Rafah attack that killed two IDF soldiers and prompted over 100 retaliatory airstrikes. Security officials noted that Hamas's medium-range rockets, capable of hitting Tel Aviv from Gaza, number in the hundreds, a fraction of the 12,000 fired since October 2023 but still a lethal threat to Israel's heartland. The 10,000-plus rifles, likely smuggled via Iranian supply lines through Egypt's Sinai or maritime routes, fuel ongoing skirmishes, including a Tuesday blast in Khan Yunis from a suspected terrorist-planted explosive.

Compounding the challenge, officials admitted that hundreds of humanitarian aid trucks enter Gaza weekly, most bypassing thorough inspections due to logistical constraints and ceasefire terms aimed at easing civilian suffering. This loophole, exploited by Hamas to divert supplies for military use, has sparked outrage among Israelis, who point to incidents like soldiers filming fuel trucks on October 19, fearing they bolster terrorist operations. With Hamas executions and 1.9 million displaced, per local health authorities, Hamas's tactics, hiding among civilians, commandeering aid, and fortifying tunnels, prolong the war's toll. As the group seeks to rebuild its shattered Nukhba force and fortify key positions, the IDF faces a daunting task: rooting out a resilient enemy that uses Gaza's misery as both shield and sword. Recent ceasefire violations, including delays in returning 16 of 28 hostage bodies, have halted aid flows, with Israel vowing harsher measures if Hamas persists. The terrorists' enduring arsenal not only threatens soldiers, over 700 fallen since 2023, but also dims hopes for lasting peace, leaving a nation on edge as rockets and rifles remain in bloodied hands.