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Are Hamas drones really a threat to Israel?

Hamas is highly motivated to develop its drone capabilities, according to an urgent report by Israel's state comptroller.
Palestinian members of al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, display a home-made drone during a military parade marking the 27th anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Gaza City December 14, 2014.   REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY ANNIVERSARY) - GM1EACE1NTL01

State Comptroller Joseph Shapira published a special report Nov. 14 on Israel's national preparedness against the drone threat. The comptroller cited the urgency of the threat in his decision to publish now rather than waiting to release the analysis as part of his annual report. Previous assessments, like that of the Hamas terror tunnels, he said, have sometimes lagged behind the rapid development of severe threats, and there is no time to waste.

The comptroller’s report touches on the threat of drones not only from a security perspective, but also from a criminal perspective. He emphasized that terror organizations have long known the advantages of drones, and they intend to expand their use significantly. That’s the reason that the comptroller repeatedly recalls the threat of the Hamas Gaza tunnels, which weren’t addressed appropriately by the security establishment before the Protective Edge operation of summer 2014.

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