Israeli navy boats are seen in the Mediterranean Sea as seen from Rosh Hanikra, close to the Lebanese border. Photo: Reuters/Ammar Awad

As Israeli officials warn that Hamas is quietly rebuilding its military infrastructure during the Gaza ceasefire, the Israeli Navy is intensifying efforts along the Mediterranean coast to prevent a potential resurgence of the Palestinian terrorist group’s maritime threat and thwart future infiltration attempts.

While much of the conflict has unfolded on land and in the air, Israeli naval forces have spent nearly 1,000 consecutive days patrolling Gaza’s coastline, seeking to cut off weapons smuggling routes from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and combat maritime infiltration into the territory.

Israeli officials are now closely monitoring what they describe as Hamas’ efforts to restore its naval capabilities, warning that the Islamist group is rebuilding coastal surveillance networks and seeking to enhance its ability to monitor Israeli naval activity in the eastern Mediterranean.

According to the Israeli news outlet Walla, even after sustaining significant setbacks during more than two years of war, the Palestinian terrorist group is reportedly preparing for future attacks from the sea and exploring ways to restore its operational presence along the Gaza coastline.

“Our working assumption is that Hamas will continue efforts to rebuild its naval capabilities,” a senior Israeli navy officer told Walla. “Even without access to motorized boats, the group could attempt a seaborne infiltration using small vessels and basic equipment.”

Based on those assessments, the Ashdod Naval Base in southern Israel, located on the Mediterranean coast north of Gaza, has adopted a revised operational strategy focused on rapidly detecting and neutralizing any seaborne infiltration attempt before operatives can reach Israeli shores.

“Hamas no longer possesses the advanced production capabilities it once had, but we must assume it will continue trying to develop both surface and underwater assets, and we are prepared to counter any such effort,” a navy officer said.

According to several reports, Hamas has been quietly exploiting the pause in fighting to tighten its control over civilian life while simultaneously rebuilding its military capabilities behind the scenes.

Even after more than two years of war, the group is rebuilding its operational infrastructure, including recruiting new operatives, conducting field and command-level training, restoring intelligence and surveillance networks, and reconstructing underground tunnel systems and weapons stockpiles.

With the navy’s new operational approach, coordination between Israeli naval and ground forces has expanded significantly, reflecting lessons learned from the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, enabling a faster, more integrated response to any attempted infiltration from the sea.

Hamas has consistently refused to relinquish its weapons, insisting that Israel must first fully comply with phase one of the US-backed Gaza ceasefire — including expanded humanitarian aid deliveries, full reopening of the Rafah crossing, and withdrawal of Israeli forces to the agreed Yellow Line — before any disarmament process can proceed.

For its part, Israel has warned that the Islamist group must fully disarm for the second phase of the ceasefire to move forward, pointing to tens of thousands of rifles and an active network of underground tunnels still under the terrorist group’s control.

Israeli officials have vowed not to withdraw any troops from Gaza unless Hamas surrenders its weapons, warning that reconstruction efforts will also be blocked, effectively stalling the ceasefire agreement.