The Saudi-owned, London-based Arabic-language newspaper Asahrq Al-Awsat has disclosed details about an underground communications system used by Hamas leaders and officials in Gaza. The report, based on sources close to the leadership of the group, reveals that this network has been operational since 2009.

Developed initially by engineers from the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s military wing, the system has been progressively enhanced with technology smuggled from abroad. The network is said to consist of switchboards installed underground, connected to older landlines above ground, enabling the group to exchange messages covertly.

According to the report, the IDF has been aware of this communication system for several years and have made multiple attempts to either hack or destroy it. Despite these efforts, the network was reportedly still functional at the onset of the current war. It was purportedly used by Hamas to negotiate the details of the November truce with Israel and to discuss the release of hostages, and to loop in the group’s leadership based outside Gaza, encrypted software was employed to relay decisions made within the Strip.

With the recent advancements of the IDF on the ground in Gaza following the truce, Hamas leadership has reportedly been compelled to revert to more basic communication methods. This involves the exchange of written messages on paper, carried by members and aides of Hamas. These messages are also used to communicate with those in contact with the leadership abroad. However, decision-making authority remains centralized, requiring approval from the top leadership in Gaza, particularly from Yahya Sinwar, as per the sources cited in the report.

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