Israeli Paratrooper Forces uncover a tunnel network used by Hamas in Gaza during Operation Cast Lead. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

Egypt’s recent targeting of Gaza Strip smuggling tunnels has cut off the terrorist organization Hamas from much needed revenue streams, forcing the rulers of Gaza to switch to simulated military exercises since there is no budget for live ammunition, Israeli daily Ma’ariv reported on Sunday.

Recently, Hamas’s Interior Ministry conducted a week-long series of war games that used laser beams instead of bullets, Ma’ariv said. The simulation software used during the drills was developed by Hamas itself and the military maneuvers were part of a broader plan to establish a permanent training facility in Gaza that’s based on the use of simulation technology.

Evidently, Hamas has made a serious commitment to developing simulated military exercise components, Ma’ariv said. Hamas spent six months developing the software for the project initiated by Interior Minister Fathi Hamad.

The total estimated savings for Hamas from switching from standard munitions to laser simulation software is $20,000 a month.

The Egyptian army’s operations along the border with Gaza, along with prior Hamas commitments to long term projects including tunnel construction and increasing its missile capability, have forced the terrorist group to invoke several belt-tightening measures.

Muhammad Alsovci , Director of Security Forces Training for Hamas, recently said that, “The whole world uses computer simulation training, and now Gaza does as well. There are many advantages to using simulations over more traditional training methods…. They save instructors time and effort, and the Interior Ministry money.”