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On October 7, Hamas attempted to overcome the Iron Dome’s capabilities by launching 5,000 missiles in 20 minutes, causing significant damage to it. The large number of missiles fired proves the importance of their arsenal. How was it possible for Hamas, in one of the world’s most tightly controlled territories, to acquire the arsenal of weapons that facilitated the successful execution of the coordinated attacks on October 7?
The October 7 attack has given rise to much discussion. The purpose of this article is not to explain Hamas’ military strategy or conduct an inventory of the group’s arsenal. However, the important question is how, despite the blockade imposed by Israel since 2007, Hamas was able to acquire and stockpile these weapons. How could a small group that was thought to be poorly organized surprise one of the world’s most powerful armies?
According to experts, the answer lies in a mixture of patience, local craftsmanship, and substantial foreign support.
Gaza Tunnels
The hundreds of kilometers of underground tunnels beneath the Gaza Strip constitute the main tool for transporting and storing weapons and ammunition. According to Israelis, this network, nicknamed “Gaza Metro,” provides Hamas with a strategic advantage. Stretching across the entire territory, it serves as a covert hideaway for fighters and provides storage for goods and ammunition for unlimited periods.
Tunnel construction reached its peak in 2005, when Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, and in 2006, when Hamas gained control of the territory after winning the Palestinian legislative elections.
This is when ammunition stockpiling began. Given the scale of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation, it is obvious that the weapons and munitions used have been there for years rather than months.
According to Riad Kahwaji, Middle East Defense Analyst, interviewed by This is Beirut, a significant Bedouin community resides in the Sinai Desert of Egypt; intermarriages occur and social ties are established with Gazans. They share a common bond with Hamas due to their conservative Islamist beliefs, which has contributed to establishing more robust connections.
According to Kahwaji, smuggling from Egypt through the tunnels began initially with small items. Over time, the tunnels grew, enabling Hamas to incorporate more significant elements. After the Arab Spring in 2011, Egypt experienced a period of chaos, which enabled Iran and Hezbollah to introduce heavy weapons such as the Kornet, anti-tank weapons, SAM missiles, and machine guns.
Following the ousting of Morsi in 2013, Egypt implemented repressive measures and closed hundreds of smuggling tunnels. Cairo adopted a strict ideological policy toward Hamas and strived to limit smuggling, which was partly facilitated by Bedouin tribes. However, even as smuggling decreased, it was virtually impossible to stop it across the vast expanses of the Sinai.
Riad Kahwaji confirmed to This is Beirut that in recent campaigns, owing to Egypt’s repressive measures, additional efforts were exerted to attack the tunnels, rendering them non-functional. A significant part of these tunnels was closed. However, smuggling persisted via the sea, and Hamas managed to obtain the necessary components for building its arsenal.
As a response, the local arms industry in Gaza grew.
Iran claims to have initiated missile production in Gaza and provided the technical base and necessary knowledge.
Local Industry
In an interview broadcast by the Arabic news channel RT Arabic (the sister channel of Russia Today) and published on its website on October 8, the head of Hamas’ foreign relations, Ali Baraka, provided details on the group’s weapon manufacturing. “We possess local manufacturing facilities for a diverse range of weaponry, including rockets with ranges of 250 km, 160 km, 80 km, and 10 km, as well as dedicated factories for mortars and their shells. […] We have factories for Kalashnikov rifles and their bullets. Bullets are manufactured with Russian authorization. They are built in Gaza,” he stated in a television interview.
With the near-closure of the tunnels with Egypt, Iran and Hezbollah began introducing the components necessary for establishing factories and providing the expertise needed for local rocket production. This laid the foundation for an indigenous rocket industry. From that point on, Hamas no longer required full rockets but only their components. Local technicians in Gaza gained experience and began developing, expanding, and manufacturing larger and longer-range rockets, explained Kahwaji.
According to Ahmad Fouad Alkhatib, who wrote about this for the Washington Institute’s Fikra Forum in 2021, some of the raw materials used in the construction of these weapons come from earlier conflicts in the Gaza Strip.
When Gaza’s infrastructure was destroyed by Israeli airstrikes (in 2014 and 2021, among others), the remaining materials, including metal sheets, pipes, reinforcing bars, and electrical cables, were repurposed in Hamas’ armament workshops to manufacture rocket casings or other explosive devices. Unexploded Israeli munitions, recycled for their explosive materials as well as other various parts, were integrated into Hamas’ supply network, he wrote.
According to the Washington Institute, Hamas’ armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, also recycled unexploded Israeli munitions, using these materials to manufacture rocket warheads that would subsequently be launched at Israel. Furthermore, the destruction of buildings or roads provided many base materials, such as electrical wires or pipes, that were used to produce rocket casings and other explosive engines. Ironically, Israeli operations in Gaza provided Hamas with materials that are controlled or prohibited in Gaza.
Iran’s Assistance
Years of planning, weapon and ammunition stockpiling, and knowledge transfer led to the October 7 attack. During previous Israeli military campaigns, Hamas gained experience. Hence, a thorough understanding of Israeli tactics and customs aided them in carrying out the attack. Hamas also trained specialists in cybersecurity and electronics, according to Riad Kahwaji. “Iran and Hezbollah played a significant role in strengthening Hamas’ military capabilities, weapons, and know-how,” he added.
Iran provided financial assistance as well. According to a report published by the US Department of State in 2020, Tehran allegedly provided various Palestinian groups with $100 million in funding.
In an interview with Al Jazeera in 2022, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, acknowledged that his organization had received $70 million in military aid from Iran. “We have locally-made rockets, but long-range ones came from abroad, from Iran, Syria, and other countries,” he said.
Hamas has publicly lauded Iran for its assistance, which, according to experts, now includes assembly instructions, engineering expertise, engine testing, and other technical skills.
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