Hamas’s new strategy

Palestinian organizers of the so-called “Great March of Return” said demonstrations along the fences that separate southern Israel from the Gaza Strip were intended to be peaceful – comprised of families of men, women and children camping in tents – with cultural events planned, including traditional dabke dancing.

But the reality was very different.

Thousands of young Palestinian men, many of whom were known Hamas terrorists, attempted to rush the fence. Some threw Molotov cocktails or rocks or burned tires. The IDF suspects that attempts were made to place explosives along the fence as well.

Hamas has changed tactics. With the advent of the Iron Dome missile defense system, lobbing rockets and mortar fire at Israeli civilians is no longer very effective. Israeli technology that uncovers underground attack tunnels has begun to neutralize that threat as well.

Now Hamas has latched onto a new, simpler strategy: Encourage throngs of Palestinians – including women, children and the elderly together with armed terrorists – to rush the fence separating the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip from Israel and wait for the inevitable civilian casualties. Hamas knows that no sovereign state can allow its border to be overrun by thousands of combative “refugees,” particularly when the crowds are probably nothing but cover for terrorists who are prepared to carry out an attack against Israelis. And Israel will inevitably be ostracized for killing “innocent” Palestinians.