Hamas has issued a rallying call to all its factions and operative bodies to take part in events on Friday on the Gaza border, which could consist an escalation in its actions against Israel.
Hamas plans to utilize the 50th anniversary of an attempt by an Australian to set fire to the al-Aqsa Mosque, which will be marked over the weekend, as a launching point for action in Jerusalem and in Judea and Samaria, as well as in Gaza.
Hamas intends to escalate the violence against Israel as leverage to force Israel to implement the understandings it agreed upon with Hamas, even if they are not keeping to their end of the deal.
Hamas’ strategy is to survive the economic and social strife in Gaza while building its force towards a major military assault on Israel. Hamas is seeking the implementation of the understandings with Israel to show achievements to the Gazans and to relieve pressure on it in the Strip.
Sources in Gaza told TPS that Hamas will escalate its violence against Israel but will refrain from a full-blown military campaign. The terror organization is allowing smaller factions to fire rockets as Israel and is enabling other terror groups to carry out attacks on Israel’s borders.
It is operating under the assumption that Israel will not operate to bring down its regime in Gaza, and therefore is allowing itself to use violence to gain achievements.
Hamas is coordinating with the other terror organizations in Gaza, as well as with Hezbollah and Iran.
A Hamas spokesman told TPS that the terror group has become the main issue in the election campaigns and that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may lead a “well-documented” attack on Gaza for campaigning purposes.
Hamas Changes Tactics
After a year and a half of the weekly border riots, Hamas understands they have lost their effect, and has turned to border infiltrations as a means to generate pressure on Israel.
While claiming that these terror incidents are carried out by dissident organizations, Hamas has full control of all events in Gaza. These clashes on the fence capture the attention of the Gazan public, and decreases the criticism on Hamas to a certain extent.