Hamas’s Military Force in the Gaza Strip

1. In view of the beginning of the land operation stage of Operation Cast Lead, we are reissuing the bulletin entitled " Hamas's military buildup in the Gaza Strip (Updated April 2008)” originally posted in April 2008, ¹ which can be accessed in English and other languages. It is relevant to understanding the events taking place in the Gaza Strip today.

Contents

Overview

Part 1: Description of Hamas's military buildup in the Gaza Strip

1. Offensive and defensive systems
2. Concept of defense of the Gaza Strip
3. Differences between the conditions in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon

Part 2: Hamas's control of the Gaza Strip

4. The Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip
5. Strength of the overall military forces in the Gaza Strip
6. Hamas's military wing (the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades)
7. Internal security
8. Other terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip

Part 3: The physical infrastructure of the Gaza Strip

9. Basic geographic and demographic data
10. Underground network

Part 4: Upgrading weapons possessed by Hamas and other terrorist organizations

11. Sources of weapons
12. Rockets and mortars
13. Anti-tank weapons
14. Explosives and IEDs
15. Other weapons

Part 5: Systems for manufacturing, developing and smuggling weapon

16. Self-manufacture systems
17. Weapons development systems
18. Weapons smuggling systems

Part 6: Training in the Gaza Strip and abroad ( Iran , Syria and Lebanon )

Part 7: The lessons Hamas learned from the most recent round of escalation

¹ The Bulletin can be found at http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/malam_multimedia/English/eng_n/pdf/hamas_080408.pdf .