Hamas’ armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, relied on its secretive “Shadow Unit” to keep Israeli hostages alive for nearly 15 months of war across Gaza, making it a crucial element in the Palestinian group’s operations.
Despite Israel’s ground forces advancing into every part of Gaza, backed by relentless air and artillery strikes, they failed to achieve one of the war’s key objectives—recovering hostages alive.
Most of those retrieved were bodies, with only a handful—no more than seven—rescued alive.
The “Shadow Unit” played a pivotal role in constantly moving captives from one location to another, thwarting Israeli efforts to locate them.
The public appearance of the Shadow Unit during the handover of Israeli hostages has raised questions about how the group managed to hold such a large number of captives for 15 months, despite intense Israeli military operations throughout the war.
The Shadow Unit was officially formed in 2006, shortly after the Al-Qassam Brigades and other factions captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. However, its existence remained undisclosed until 2016—five years after Shalit was freed in a prisoner exchange in 2011—when Al-Qassam released previously unseen footage of him in captivity.
Hamas sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that the unit was established around three months after Shalit’s abduction, following a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting locations where he had been held, both shortly after his capture and at later stages.
The Shadow Unit was initially composed of highly skilled operatives with extensive security and military expertise tasked with safeguarding Shalit, they added.
Over time, more members were recruited, including operatives from Al-Qassam Brigades' intelligence unit, the elite force, and other combat divisions.
The recruits underwent specialized security, intelligence, military and technological training.
According to the sources, Hamas’ top military commander, Mohammed Deif, and his longtime associate Mohammed Al-Sinwar ordered the unit’s formation following Shalit’s abduction.
Many of its early members, including those assigned to guard Shalit, were from Khan Younis, Deif and Al-Sinwar’s hometown.
Among them were senior Al-Qassam field commanders Abdel Rahman Al-Mubasher, Khaled Abu Bakra, and Mohammed Dawoud, who were killed in separate incidents in 2013 and 2021.
