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IDF Warns: Hamas Recruiting Youths, Manufacturing Rockets, and Preparing for Next War

Matzav -

The IDF has detected growing evidence that Hamas is rebuilding its military infrastructure and preparing for another confrontation with Israel, according to an internal military presentation disclosed Tuesday evening by Channel 13 News.

The presentation outlines a series of developments observed in the Gaza Strip in recent months, detailing what Israeli officials believe are significant efforts by the Hamas terrorist organization to restore and strengthen its military capabilities.

According to the report, Hamas has placed renewed emphasis on training members of its elite Nukhba force while simultaneously stepping up recruitment efforts. The document states that the organization is actively recruiting young men between the ages of 18 and 22 to replenish its ranks.

The intelligence assessment also indicates that Hamas has resumed producing military equipment on a large scale. According to the presentation, the group is manufacturing hundreds of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and rockets each month. At the same time, it is working to increase the flow of smuggled materials into Gaza, including drone components and other military hardware brought in through various channels.

The report further states that Hamas has begun circulating operational plans in anticipation of renewed fighting. Israeli officials reportedly believe the terrorist organization is making substantial progress in restoring capabilities that were degraded during the war and is taking concrete steps to prepare for future combat.

As Hamas rebuilds, IDF forces continue operating along the Gaza security buffer, known as the “Yellow Line.” The zone is intended to keep terrorist threats away from Israeli communities near the border and prevent Hamas and other terrorist groups from reestablishing positions close to Israeli territory.

Channel 13 also reported that Israel’s political and military leadership has not held any special high-level discussions on the situation in Gaza in recent days. According to the report, the United States has also informed Israel that, for now, there is no international backing for launching another large-scale military operation in the Gaza Strip.

{Matzav.com}

UN Chief Warns UNRWA Near Collapse, Appeals for $100 Million Amid Funding Crisis

Matzav -

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed Tuesday for member nations to provide an additional $100 million to keep the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) operating, warning that the organization is facing a severe financial crisis that threatens its ability to continue functioning, Reuters reported.

Speaking before a special UN General Assembly pledging conference, Guterres said UNRWA is confronting mounting financial shortfalls while also operating under significant restrictions, creating what he described as an increasingly dire situation for the agency.

For years, the United States was UNRWA’s largest contributor. That changed in January 2024, when Washington suspended funding after Israel presented evidence alleging that approximately a dozen UNRWA employees took part in Hamas’ October 7, 2023, terrorist massacre.

Several other major donor countries also temporarily paused their contributions while the United Nations conducted a review of the allegations. Most of those governments have since resumed funding the agency.

Guterres said the agency’s financial condition now poses a serious threat to its ability to carry out the mission that the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly renewed just six months ago.

“They cannot keep going like this without urgent backing and financial support from member states,” Guterres said, according to Reuters, claiming that the agency had taken decisive steps to implement reforms and update its policy on outside and political activities following Israel’s revelations.

Defending the organization, Guterres described UNRWA as an essential source of regional stability and dismissed ongoing criticism of the agency.

“UNRWA is a stabilizing force in an age of instability,” he said, rejecting what he called continued efforts to undermine the agency through “disinformation, smear campaigns, legislative actions, operational restrictions, diplomatic roadblocks and more.”

According to Reuters, UNRWA has already reduced its operating hours by 20 percent this year, cut salaries for locally hired employees, and left approximately 15 percent of its international administrative positions vacant as part of sweeping cost-cutting measures. Guterres cautioned that > “Any further cuts could push conditions past the breaking point.”

After Israel accused UNRWA employees of involvement in the October 7 attack, the United Nations appointed an independent review panel led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna to examine the allegations. The panel concluded that it had identified “neutrality-related issues” within the agency but stated that Israel had not provided evidence supporting claims that large numbers of UNRWA staff belonged to terrorist organizations.

Despite extensive evidence presented by Israel alleging deep connections between UNRWA and Hamas, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel must permit humanitarian assistance to enter the Gaza Strip through UN agencies, including UNRWA. Israel and the United States both sharply criticized that decision.

{Matzav.com}

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