Middle East

Hamas leadership goes underground

Image Credits: UnsplashImage Credits: Unsplash
  • Hamas leadership, including Yahya Sinwar, is actively concealing identities and movement to evade Israeli assassination attempts, utilizing tunnels and non-digital communication.
  • Israel accuses Hamas of using civilian infrastructure like hospitals to shield commanders, while Hamas denies the claims and warns of misinformation campaigns.
  • Internal crackdowns on suspected collaborators have intensified, as Hamas fears Israeli intelligence infiltration through aid workers and informants.

[MIDDLE EAST] In a strategic move to counter Israeli military operations, Hamas has reportedly concealed the identities of its senior commanders, including the elusive Yahya Sinwar and the recently deceased Mohammed Deif. This tactic aims to protect key figures from targeted assassinations and maintain the organization's operational integrity.​

Strategic Concealment of Leadership

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar has adeptly utilized Gaza's extensive tunnel network to elude Israeli forces. Avoiding electronic communications and relying on couriers, Sinwar has minimized detection risks. His survival strategies include using hostages as human shields, complicating Israeli targeting efforts. Despite multiple assassination attempts, Sinwar continues to influence Hamas operations from his concealed position. ​

Similarly, Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas's military wing, has been a persistent target of Israeli strikes. In July 2024, Israeli forces claimed to have targeted Deif in Khan Yunis, resulting in significant casualties. However, Hamas dismissed these claims as false, accusing Israel of attempting to cover up civilian deaths. It wasn't until January 2025 that Hamas officially confirmed Deif's death, acknowledging it as a consequence of the ongoing conflict. ​

Use of Civilian Infrastructure

Israeli military officials have accused Hamas of embedding its operations within civilian infrastructures, such as hospitals. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari alleged that Hamas uses facilities like Al Shifa Hospital as command centers and hideouts for commanders. Hamas has refuted these allegations, labeling them as baseless and accusing Israel of fabricating narratives to justify attacks on civilian areas. ​

Internal Security Measures

Internally, Hamas has intensified efforts to root out perceived collaborators. The Interior Ministry expressed concerns over Israeli attempts to recruit Palestinians as informants, alleging that Israeli agents pose as aid workers to gather intelligence. This has led to a series of targeted killings within Gaza, sparking panic and fears of widespread collaboration. ​

Israeli Intelligence Challenges

Despite Israel's advanced intelligence capabilities, several Hamas commanders previously reported killed have reappeared, raising questions about the accuracy of Israeli assessments. For instance, Haytham al-Khawajri, initially declared eliminated, was later seen attending a public event, prompting Israeli officials to acknowledge potential miscalculations. ​

Hamas's strategies of concealing leadership identities, integrating operations within civilian structures, and enforcing stringent internal security measures have significantly complicated Israeli military efforts. These tactics underscore the challenges faced by Israeli forces in targeting Hamas leadership and highlight the complexities of conducting operations within densely populated urban environments.


United States
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 10:30:00 AM

Markets rise as investor optimism builds around trade talks and earnings

While stocks climbed this week on upbeat signals around trade negotiations and anticipated earnings results, the real narrative lies beneath the numbers: a...

Malaysia
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 10:30:00 AM

Malaysia palm oil stockpile hits 18-month high in June 2025

Malaysia’s palm oil stockpile climbed to 1.91 million tonnes in June 2025, the highest since late 2023. While the figure drew initial interpretation...

Singapore
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 9:30:00 AM

Singapore launches Asia-Pacific aviation green hub

While Europe debates emissions caps and the US chases SAF tax credits, Singapore is doing something more foundational: it’s building the infrastructure and...

Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 9:30:00 AM

Delta’s forecast and Nvidia’s surge push indices to new highs

While tariffs dominate the political headlines, the real market signal came from Delta Air Lines. Its upgraded profit forecast sent its stock soaring...

Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 9:30:00 AM

Trump tariffs jolt oil prices as growth fears resurface

The latest Trump tariff barrage may read like déjà vu, but the oil market's reaction reveals a deeper signal: credibility risk is now...

Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 9:30:00 AM

Asian currencies slip despite broader risk-on mood

The contrast couldn’t be sharper. Global equities are climbing on risk-on sentiment. Yet across Asia, currencies from the Korean won to the Malaysian...

Europe
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 9:30:00 AM

UK-France migrant returns trial under PM Keir Starmer

The UK’s new “one in, one out” migrant returns pilot with France is not just a logistical measure. It is a policy signal—crafted...

Malaysia
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 11, 2025 at 9:30:00 AM

Malaysia signals confidence in US tariff relief talks

Malaysia’s public optimism about reducing US-imposed tariffs suggests more than a hopeful diplomatic overture—it reflects a deliberate policy posture recalibration in an increasingly...

United States
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 10, 2025 at 12:30:00 PM

If Trump keeps changing his mind on tariffs, why bother negotiating at all?

The 90-day clock has run out. What was once a bold declaration by the Trump administration to secure "90 trade deals in 90...

Image Credits: Unsplash
July 10, 2025 at 11:30:00 AM

How Western companies profit from genocide

If you strip away the flags and the press briefings, genocide looks a lot like product-market fit. Not morally—but operationally. The incentives are...

Middle East
Image Credits: Unsplash
July 10, 2025 at 11:00:00 AM

Gaza ceasefire hostage deal gains ground as Israel, Hamas signal progress

A potential turning point emerged this week in one of the world’s most entrenched conflicts. After nearly nine months of war in Gaza,...

Image Credits: Unsplash
July 10, 2025 at 11:00:00 AM

China exporters grapple with tariff uncertainty in 2025

There’s a reason more Chinese factory owners are watching TikTok instead of Bloomberg. And no—it’s not for the dance trends. It’s because creators...

Load More