Israeli Forces Admit to Combat Challenges in Gaza: “Hamas Prepared for Ground Engagement”

According to a report by the Hebrew daily Israel Hayom, a senior Israeli official has acknowledged that the intensity of combat in Gaza is not subsiding—rather, it is progressing slowly, deliberately, and cautiously. This approach, the source claims, is driven by the assumption that Hamas has planted explosives and is preparing to engage incoming Israeli troops.

The newspaper added that all military units scheduled to enter Gaza have now been deployed, and that the focus is expected to shift toward Khan Younis, where Israel hopes to replicate the military campaign it recently carried out in Rafah.

Despite these statements, Israel Hayom claimed that Hamas remains in a highly difficult position, both militarily and logistically, though the movement is said to be actively mobilising.

Meanwhile, the Israeli delegation returned from Doha with no meaningful breakthrough in ceasefire negotiations with Hamas. The U.S. is reportedly pressuring both parties to reach a deal resembling the “Witkoff Plan”, a proposed phased agreement. According to military sources, the Israeli army is prepared to halt combat operations at any point if political leaders deem it necessary to secure the release of Israeli captives.

In a rare admission, Israeli officials confirmed that some of the 388 humanitarian aid trucks that entered Gaza were looted. However, the official added that most looting was carried out by desperate civilians—not Hamas fighters. This statement was made Sunday morning by a senior Israeli source.

Two days earlier, the same publication reported that the Israeli military confirmed humanitarian aid centres will begin operations next week. Within a compound in southern Gaza, a U.S. company has constructed massive storage facilities to sort and distribute food packages.

However, Israeli media is already planting suspicion, claiming that Hamas may confiscate supplies from displaced families at checkpoint zones, particularly near Al-Mawasi, where thousands of Palestinians have been forcibly relocated into displacement camps.

The Israeli Broadcasting Authority also confirmed that all regular infantry and armored brigades have now been deployed inside Gaza, with the Paratrooper Division being the last to enter within the past 24 hours. The current ground operations are focused on two main axes: northern Gaza and the Khan Younis region.

Earlier military statements from the occupation forces indicated that their Southern Command continues targeting Palestinian resistance factions across various zones in Gaza.

The statement added that, under guidance from Military Intelligence (Aman) and the Shin Bet (Shabak), Israeli forces fired a shell toward civilian gathering areas near the Gaza border. In retaliation, the occupation army claimed to have struck and dismantled the launch platform used to fire the projectile.