‘Major Surprise Plan’ in Store for Israel in Gaza, Says Iranian Tasnim Agency

Israeli tanks move near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 11, 2023. (AP)
Israeli tanks move near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 11, 2023. (AP)
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‘Major Surprise Plan’ in Store for Israel in Gaza, Says Iranian Tasnim Agency

Israeli tanks move near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 11, 2023. (AP)
Israeli tanks move near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 11, 2023. (AP)

A great surprise is in store for the Zionist soldiers in case they launched a ground invasion, well-informed sources in the Palestinian resistance said.

Speaking to Iranian Tasnim news agency, the sources said since the beginning of planning for the Al-Aqsa Storm operation, Hamas had thought of plans for countering an Israeli ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas has prepared the necessary measures to counter it, the agency added.

“There is a major surprise plan in store that would create a big nightmare for the Zionist troops in case of a ground operation,” according to the sources.

“The resistance has previous experiences of taking preemptive measures to disrupt the Zionist entity’s plans. One example is the 33-day war in which soldiers from the Zionist enemy were captured, forcing Tel Aviv to change its plan of occupying southern Lebanon and ultimately facing defeat in its operation.”

This time, Hamas has launched an operation to force Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to react and send the army into Gaza without making the necessary preparations.

Another major point is that since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2005, Israel has launched four major military operations but failed to maintain its occupation of even an iota of the land of Gaza.

Meanwhile, the military power of Hamas has multiplied compared to the early years after it seized control of Gaza. The possibility of the seizure of Gaza is now equal to zero.

International observers - even Israeli analysts - acknowledge that the Al-Aqsa Storm operation has proven to be a major intelligence fiasco for the Zionist entity.



Influential Far-right Minister Lashes out at Netanyahu over Gaza War Policy

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
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Influential Far-right Minister Lashes out at Netanyahu over Gaza War Policy

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich attends a Plenum session of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, also attended by Argentine President Javier Milei (not pictured), in Jerusalem, June 11, 2025

Israel's far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich sharply criticized on Sunday a cabinet decision to allow some aid into Gaza as a "grave mistake" that he said would benefit the militant Palestinian group Hamas.

Smotrich also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to ensure that Israel's military is following government directives in prosecuting the war against Hamas in Gaza. He said he was considering his "next steps" but stopped short of explicitly threatening to quit the coalition, Reuters reported.

Smotrich's comments come a day before Netanyahu is due to hold talks in Washington with President Donald Trump on a US-backed proposal for a 60-day Gaza ceasefire.

"... the cabinet and the Prime Minister made a grave mistake yesterday in approving the entry of aid through a route that also benefits Hamas," Smotrich said on X, arguing that the aid would ultimately reach the Islamist group and serve as "logistical support for the enemy during wartime".

The Israeli government has not announced any changes to its aid policy in Gaza. Israeli media reported that the government had voted to allow additional aid to enter northern Gaza.

The prime minister's office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. The military declined to comment.

Israel accuses Hamas of stealing aid for its own fighters or to sell to finance its operations, an accusation Hamas denies. Gaza is in the grip of a humanitarian catastrophe, with conditions threatening to push nearly a half a million people into famine within months, according to UN estimates.

Israel in May partially lifted a nearly three-month blockade on aid. Two Israeli officials said on June 27 the government had temporarily stopped aid from entering north Gaza.

PRESSURE

Public pressure in Israel is mounting on Netanyahu to secure a permanent ceasefire, a move opposed by some hardline members of his right-wing coalition. An Israeli team left for Qatar on Sunday for talks on a possible Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.

Smotrich, who in January threatened to withdraw his Religious Zionism party from the government if Israel agreed to a complete end to the war before having achieved its objectives, did not mention the ceasefire in his criticism of Netanyahu.

The right-wing coalition holds a slim parliamentary majority, although some opposition lawmakers have offered to support the government from collapsing if a ceasefire is agreed.