Palestinian armed factions in Gaza are intensifying their operations in search of Israeli espionage devices that were planted in the enclave during the latest war.
Sources from the factions told Asharq Al-Awsat that Israel managed to plant them through field agents or when its military was active in some parts of Gaza.
The devices include advanced cameras and listening devices that can record sound at distances as far as 500 meters that allow Israel to analyze the voiceprint of wanted suspects.
Up until recently, the factions used to secretly operate to uncover the devices. Last week, one of the devices went off without warning after being discovered by one of the factions inside a displacement camp in Deir al-Balah in central Gaza. Hours later, an Israeli jet fired two rockets at the location.
Sources from Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other factions told Asharq Al-Awsat that their members have discovered several such devices in recent months.
Some were uncovered during the war, after the assassination of some field operatives, and others after the ceasefire took effect.
The sources explained that the devices are built to self-destruct after they are discovered, or they send their users a warning or signal that they have been discovered so that they can be destroyed.
The majority of the devices that have been discovered so far were sending information, images or recordings to Israeli drones.
Some of the devices were uncovered in hospitals that the army had raided during the war, such as Al-Shifa Hospital and others.
One source said searches uncovered devices placed in hospital furniture. They carried cameras that can shoot distances of at least 800 meters. Other devices were used for recording sounds, which likely allowed users to recognize the voice of wanted suspects.
Some devices were discovered after rainfall. One source explained to Asharq Al-Awsat that flooding in Khan Younis unearthed devices that were likely planted by collaborators with Israel. Some devices were placed inside wooden boxes that were concealed in rocks.
Factions also concluded that Israeli drones would drop espionage devices in “dead security zones” where they can be picked up by collaborators who would plant them in specified locations in Gaza.
Devices have been discovered in the streets and inside destroyed houses. They were likely used to detect the movement of members of factions.
Israel has long planted espionage devices in Gaza, preceding the October 2023 war.
One of the sources said devices were discovered inside offices of the factions and even the houses of their members.
The devices would have entered Gaza concealed in trade goods allowed into the enclave and received by collaborators in various ways.
In May 2018, six members of Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, were killed when an espionage device they were inspecting blew up.
Investigations soon after discovered major security breaches inside the Qassam that allowed Israel to spy on them. The discovery thwarted the spy operation, the Brigades said at the time.
