Palestinians preparing for war in Gaza

Terror groups enhancing capabilities, working to mimic Hizbullah tactics

Aaron Klein, WND |Published: 12.27.06 , 19:17

Hamas and other Palestinian terror groups have been using a ceasefire agreed to last month to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip and build Hizbullah-like guerilla armies to confront Israel, according to the Israeli Defense Forces.

"In another few months, in the Gaza Strip we will have to deal with military capabilities of the terror organizations that we haven't been familiar with until now," said Sami Turjeman, head of the IDF's operations department.

Yossi Baidatz, head of research for the IDF's military intelligence unit, warned Hamas has been using the ceasefire, which went into effect Nov. 26, to strengthen its forces and prepare for conflict with Israel.

Senior defense officials told WND Palestinian terror groups in Gaza have been focusing their weapons procurement and training efforts on mimicking guerilla warfare actions carried out by Hizbullah during its confrontation against Israel in Lebanon this past summer.

The officials said the Palestinian groups learned Hizbullah-like tactics, such as raids of military installations and the use of antitank fire, can be more effective than ordinary terror attacks.

The officials said Hizbullah militants have been aiding in Palestinian training efforts in the Egyptian Sinai desert bordering the Gaza Strip.

They also said more than 20 tons of weapons have been brought into Gaza from the neighboring Sinai desert in the last 10 months, including a large number of anti-tank missiles, which caused the highest number of Israeli military casualties during the last Lebanon war.

The officials said the Palestinian terror groups are also focusing much of their efforts on smuggling from Egypt longer-range missiles such as advanced Qassams and Katyusha rockets, which could target Jewish communities deeper into Israel similar to Hizbullah's use of Katyusha rockets that devastated northern Israel last summer.

Israel withdrew from Gaza in August 2005. In a deal brokered in November by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the Egypt-Gaza border, once controlled by the Jewish state, now is manned by Egyptian and Palestinian security officials and observed by European monitors. The monitors reportedly have fled their duty several times the past few months.

Israeli security officials have noted multiple breaches in border security, including the open transport of terrorists and weapons across the border. They say several key sections of the border are penetrable and that smuggling tunnels that snake under the border are "thriving."

Terror leaders admit: We are copying Hizbullah

Speaking to WND, senior terror leaders in Gaza, including militants from Palestinian Authority President Abbas' Fatah party, admitted they are working to copy Hizbullah warfare tactics.

"We are turning Gaza into south Lebanon," Abu Ahmed, northern Gaza leader for the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades terror group told WND.

"We learned from Hizbullah's victory that Israel can be defeated if we know how to hit them and if we are well prepared," Abu Ahmed said. "We are importing rockets and the knowledge to launch them and we are also making many plans for battle."

Abu Abdullah, a leader of Hamas' so-called "military wing" told WND his group is preparing for war against Israel.

"In the last 15 months, even though the fighters of Hamas kept the ceasefire, we did not stop making important advancements and professional training on the military level. In the future, after Hamas is obliged to stop the ceasefire, the world shall see our new military capabilities," said Abu Abdullah, who is considered one of the most important operational members of Hamas' Izz el-din al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' declared "resistance" department.

Al Aqsa's Abu Ahmed said his group is receiving help from Hizbullah to import long-range rockets and train in guerrilla warfare tactics.

"We have warm relations with Hizbullah, which helps with some of the training programs," Abu Ahmed said. "We don't have anything to be ashamed of – that we are dealing with Hizbullah and that we are receiving training and information from them."

He said Hizbullah maintains cells in the Sinai.

"The Sinai is an excellent ground for training, the exchange of information and weapons and for meetings on how to turn every piece of land into usable territory for a confrontation with Israel," Abu Ahmed said.

Palestinians establishing Gaza war bunkers

Abu Ahmed said Palestinian groups are developing war bunkers inside Gaza similar to the underground Hizbullah lairs Israel found during the war in Lebanon.

"Our preparations include the building of special bunkers. Of course, we are taking into consideration that Gaza is not the same topography as Lebanon," Abu Ahmed said.

During its confrontation with Hizbullah, Israel destroyed scores of complex bunkers that snaked along the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border. Military officials said they were surprised by the scale of the Hizbullah bunkers, in which Israeli troops reportedly found war rooms stocked with advanced eavesdropping and surveillance equipment they noted were made by Iran.

Abu Ahmed said the most important "tool" in the Palestinian resistance arsenal was rockets. He said his group learned from Hizbullah that Israel can be defeated with missiles.

"We saw that with the capacity to bombard the Israeli population with hundreds of rockets every day we can change the strategic balance with Israel," he said.

Since Israel's Gaza withdrawal, Palestinian terror groups have been regularly firing rockets at nearby Jewish communities, even after a ceasefire went into effect last month. The terrorists generally have fired three versions of Qassam rockets, improvised steel projectiles filled with explosives and fuel.

Qassams can travel between one and five miles depending on the sophistication of the particular rocket.

Israel has noted improvements in Qassams, including rockets carrying double engines.

Israeli security officials say a large number of Katyusha rockets have been brought into Gaza. Katyushas can travel about 12 miles and can deliver large payloads. Hizbullah fired more than 2,800 Katyusha rockets into Israel in July and August.

In August, Islamic Jihad fired a Katyusha rocket into the Israeli Negev. It landed in an empty area. In June, the group fired a Katyusha-like rocket that traveled about nine miles.

"The Katyusha we fired (in August) shows we can have every weapon we need," said Abu Ahmed. "It is only a matter of a small period before Gaza is ready for war."