In a briefing for the Israeli press April 14, a senior officer in the Southern Command reported that Hamas is busy rehabilitating its military strength. According to him, ever since the 2014 Operation Protective Edge, Hamas has been increasing its Nokhba (elite fighting unit) forces to 5,000 troops and focusing on the development of high-trajectory short-range rockets, which proved to be more efficient than the Grad rockets shot down by the Israeli air defense system Iron Dome.

“Hamas is a highly intelligent enemy. They surprise me and learn their lessons very quickly,” said the senior officer by way of summary.

Past experience shows that after every round of fighting with Israel, the military wing of Hamas not only improves the ordnance at its disposal, but also adapts and adjusts its doctrine of warfare.

During Operation Cast Lead (2008-2009), the Hamas army had no response to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground forces that entered the northern part of the Gaza Strip. As far as the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades were concerned, the territory had been abandoned. Armed Hamas militants swapped their uniforms for civilian clothing and quickly ran for cover deep in the Gaza Strip. After the operation, Ahmed Jabari, the person considered to be acting commander of the military wing of Hamas (and who was killed by Israel in 2012, right before Operation Pillar of Defense) ordered Hamas to improve its ground capabilities so that they could withstand Israeli ground forces if and when they invaded Gaza again.