Despite a significant expansion of ground operations in the Gaza Strip in recent days, the IDF have so far encountered relatively few direct clashes with Hamas terrorists.
According to the IDF, one of the main reasons is that the forces have been on the move, entering combat zones with overwhelming firepower and heavily armored vehicles, including tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers outfitted with advanced defense systems such as the Trophy active protection system.
Now that the Israeli military is establishing a more permanent presence, some units have transitioned to more stationary positions, the IDF is bracing for Hamas to ramp up attacks. Military officials anticipate that terrorists may attempt to exploit this shift by targeting troops with sniper fire, anti-tank missile attacks from a distance, or improvised explosive devices. There is also concern that terrorists may attempt to emerge unexpectedly from the tunnel network beneath Gaza.
According to the IDF, many Hamas terrorists had previously held back, recognizing that their chances of inflicting damage on the Israeli military machine were low while the armored vehicles were still in motion. However, as seen in recent days in northern Gaza, including the fatal IED attack that killed IDF Tracker Warrant Officer G'haleb Sliman Alnasasra, the possibility of further encounters is growing.
