Hamas is bracing for what it believes may be imminent Israeli operations targeting its senior leaders abroad, even as the terror organization faces internal revolt and clan-based resistance inside Gaza.
According to new reporting from Asharq Al-Awsat, Hamas leadership is convinced that Israel is preparing additional assassinations following the killing of Hezbollah commander Haitham Tabtabai last week and September’s strike in Qatar that targeted top Hamas officials.
Though the United States reportedly sent “reassurance messages” through Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt that further international strikes were not expected, Hamas publicly declared it “does not trust Israel.”
“There are expectations of a new assassination attempt with the Israeli government’s efforts to obstruct the second phase of the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas claimed.
Hamas commanders have now ordered members to cancel all standing meetings, avoid routine schedules, and relocate gatherings frequently to avoid detection. These measures mark a significant shift — evidence that senior officials believe they are in Israel’s crosshairs wherever they hide.
Growing Resistance Inside Gaza — and a Killing That Shakes the Balance
While Hamas fixates on threats from abroad, its control at home is weakening.
A major blow came Thursday with the death of Yasser Abu Shabab, a Bedouin tribal leader in Rafah and one of the most prominent anti-Hamas figures in Gaza.
Abu Shabab was killed while mediating a dispute between local families — a development that complicates Israel’s efforts to support Gazan clans resisting Hamas’s rule.
Hamas immediately celebrated his death, issuing a chilling warning:
“The fate of anyone who betrayed their people and homeland is inevitable.”
The terror group accused Abu Shabab of “criminal acts” and claimed he had deviated from “national and social consensus.” Hamas has long branded him a collaborator and had ordered its fighters to kill or capture him.
The Israeli-supported Gaza Popular Forces confirmed that Abu Shabab died from a gunshot wound while intervening in a family conflict and denied that Hamas carried out the killing. But his movement vowed to continue resisting Hamas.
Ghassan al-Dahini, expected to assume leadership, declared:
“With God’s help… we will return more determined and stronger. We will keep fighting until every final terrorist is gone.”
He added:
“Today, Hamas will see its true face — the one the world should have recognized long ago.”
Violence Surges in Rafah During the Ceasefire
Despite the ongoing ceasefire, Rafah has witnessed some of its worst violence since October:
Residents reported heavy gunfighting on Wednesday, leaving four Israeli soldiers wounded.
On Thursday, the IDF announced it had killed around 40 Hamas fighters trapped in tunnel systems beneath the city.
These battles highlight the reality that, even during diplomatic quiet, Hamas continues operating its terror infrastructure underground.
Hamas’s Brutal Crackdown on Its Own People
One of the least discussed dimensions of the conflict is Hamas’s vicious campaign against Palestinians who oppose its rule.
Shortly after the U.S.-backed ceasefire took effect in October, Hamas launched a sweeping effort to “restore control” over a devastated Gaza. This campaign includes:
Targeting rival clans
Seizing weapons
Executing alleged “collaborators”
Public beatings and torture
Eliminating competing militias
Videos circulating on social media show Hamas gunmen brutally assaulting Palestinians and carrying out public executions in town squares — a stark reminder of the group’s authoritarian grip on the population it claims to defend.
For years, Western activists and some media outlets have painted Hamas as a grassroots resistance movement. But Gaza’s own clans — and these videos — tell a different story:
Hamas rules by fear, not by consent.
A Movement Surrounded by Enemies — and Losing Control
Hamas now finds itself squeezed on multiple fronts:
1. International pressure
Israel has demonstrated it can reach Hamas leaders in Beirut, Doha, and beyond. No safe haven exists.
2. Internal rebellion
Clans in Rafah and northern Gaza are increasingly refusing Hamas authority — an unprecedented development in two decades of rule.
3. Loss of legitimacy
Public executions and torture have turned many Gazans against the group, even as Hamas insists it represents “national consensus.”
4. Ongoing Israeli operations
Tunnel networks continue to be dismantled, commanders eliminated, and supply lines disrupted.
For Christian supporters of Israel, this moment exposes a truth long known:
Terror cannot bring freedom. Terror brings oppression — especially to those forced to live under it.
Praying for Deliverance in Gaza and Safety for Israel
While political leaders discuss ceasefires and “phase two” frameworks, the spiritual reality remains unchanged:
Hamas is a radical Islamist movement committed to Israel’s destruction.
Iran continues to arm and fund its regional proxies.
Gaza’s civilians suffer most under Hamas’s iron grip.
As modern-day Esthers who love Israel and the Jewish people, our prayers matter in this hour:
For Israel’s protection as operations continue at home and abroad
For innocent Gazan families oppressed by Hamas
For justice against those who torture, traffic, and terrorize
For a future in Gaza where life can flourish instead of fear, and the doors open for the Gospel.
“Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
— Psalm 82:4
Hamas is preparing for what it fears is coming.
The people of Gaza are bracing for what they know is coming.
And Israel continues doing what it must to keep its people safe.
May truth expose darkness, may righteousness rise, and may God uphold those who stand for life over terror.
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