Report: At least 8,000 Terrorists Resettled in Northern Gaza

Photo Credit: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90

Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and a crowd of thousands outside Yahya Sinwar’s home in Khan Younes, where two Israeli and five Thai hostages were released to the Red Cross, January 30, 2025.

More than 8,000 terrorists entered the northern Gaza Strip this week following the opening of the Netzarim Corridor, according to Makor Rishon, citing security sources. They blended in with the hundreds of thousands of Gazans who have returned to northern Gaza and Gaza City in recent days.

THE LAWLESS CROWD IS NOT A BUG, IT’S A FEATURE

Arbel Yehud and Gadi Mozes, who had been held by Islamic Jihad and other factions on Thursday, were handed over to the Red Cross in Khan Younes shortly afterward. As a rowdy Arab crowd swarmed around the gunmen, the situation grew volatile, putting the hostages at risk. While Hamas struggled to assert control in Jabaliya, Khan Younes descended into chaos. The Islamic Jihad terrorists failed to contain the crowd. The disorder was exacerbated by the choice of location—near the ruins of Yahya Sinwar’s house—adding to the mayhem. Yehud, visibly shaken and in tears, was led away by her armed and masked captors who towered over her.

These screams. This hatred. And, jostled, almost lynched, a terrified young woman who spent 16 months in a tunnel, who sees the light of day again and who does not understand. Atrocious. Unforgivable. Hommage to Arbel Yehud. pic.twitter.com/iA3905kOhg

— Bernard-Henri Lévy (@BHL) January 30, 2025

Dr. Michael Milstein, former director of the Palestinian desk in IDF Intelligence, told Reshet Bet Radio on Friday about Hamas’s conduct during the release of the Israeli hostages: “What happened yesterday reflects the gap in how both sides perceive reality. Hamas did not lose control—this was its intention.”

Milstein explained that Hamas perceived the event as a demonstration of its victory. “In a perverted way, from their perspective, they are showcasing their humanity to the international community,” he said and added that this reflects Hamas’s mindset: “This is our enemy. What seems insane to us is––in their view––entirely acceptable.”

Midweek, under intense pressure from the United States, PM Netanyahu reneged on his 15 months of public commitments and ordered the IDF to evacuate the Netzarim Corridor. The military fortifications, which had been established at a cost of tens of millions of shekels, were undone in two days.

Despite warnings from the IDF Spokesman in Arabic, the Gazans did not wait for a complete IDF withdrawal. By Tuesday morning, as an agreement had been reached on the two-stage prisoner release, crowds began marching north along the Gaza coastal road toward the moonscape of destroyed buildings. Hamas sought to portray the crowd’s messy trek as a victory—”the return home.”

The IDF assesses that Hamas is using the hostage and prisoner exchange phase to rebuild its military capabilities in the Gaza Strip, particularly in the north. The area’s commander is Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, head of the Gaza City Brigade, regarded as a key figure in Hamas’s military structure and a potential successor to the assassinated leaders, most notably Mohammed Deif.

Hamas’s control over humanitarian aid entering Gaza in the past year has provided it with sufficient resources to recruit thousands of young fighters by offering food, water, and essential supplies for their families in exchange for enlistment.

Recent reports indicate that Hamas is actively searching areas vacated by the IDF for leftover equipment. Israeli assessments suggest the group is rebuilding its terrorist infrastructure in northern Gaza and preparing for a future IDF reentry to resume the fighting.

Additionally, security officials warn that terrorists set to be released as part of the deal—including individuals linked to Hamas leadership that was weakened or eliminated during the war—could soon reintegrate into Hamas’s command structure in Gaza, strengthening its military and strategic capabilities for future conflict.

Haaretz military correspondent Amos Harel believes the visit of President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff to the Gaza Strip this week reflects the administration’s strategic outlook. Washington sees the implementation of Phase A of the deal as a crucial step toward Phase B, which in turn would usher in the normalization of relations between Riyadh and Jerusalem and massive US-Saudi contracts. Witkoff’s job is to make sure Netanyahu continues to paint inside the lines Trump drew for him.

If all goes as expected, next Thursday, Netanyahu will be honored as Trump’s first foreign visitor after his inauguration. It stands to reason that Trump will exact a heavy price for this honor.