An undated photo released by the Israel Defense Forces on January 6, 2024, shows Muhammed Deif (R), the commander of the Hamas group’s military wing. (Israel Defense Forces)
Sat 13 January 2024:
The CIA has been providing intelligence to Israel on senior Hamas leaders and captives held in Gaza, according to a New York Times report that quoted unnamed US officials.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reportedly ordered the formation of a new task force to gather intelligence on the captives’ whereabouts and Hamas leaders shortly after the October 7 attack.
It said Washington is spending many more resources on collecting intelligence on Hamas than it was before the war, and is also carrying out more drone flights over Gaza to intercept communications between Hamas operatives.
According to the report, the directive to create the new task force was sent out by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in the wake of the attack in which some 3,000 Hamas fighters stormed into southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and taking another 240 hostages. Several US citizens were among the dead and captured.
The task force also saw the US bump up Hamas on its list of priorities from a low level four to a more urgent level two. Level one is reserved for major American foes like Iran, North Korea, Russia and China.
According to the report, the US has already started transferring information to Israel on the location of senior leaders, however, it is not clear how effective this has been and none of the major leaders in Gaza have yet been killed or captured.
The report noted that the US did not give Israel information leading to the killing of deputy Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri. Arouri was killed in a drone strike in Beirut last week in an attack widely attributed to Israel, although Jerusalem has not confirmed it.
It also noted that even if the information has been given to Israel on the location of top leaders like Yahya Sinwar, or Hamas’s military chief Mohammed Deif, Israel may not be able to immediately act on the information.
US officials echoed reports in Israel this week that Sinwar’s location deep in the tunnels of Gaza is known to Israel, but the IDF can’t strike because he has surrounded himself with many hostages.
According to the report, the US wants Israel to transition its war in Gaza from trying to kill Hamas operatives of all levels to focusing on just going after the top leaders.
Israel says it has killed more than 8,500 Hamas fighters in Gaza along with another 1,000 who were killed in Israel on October 7. Hamas was believed to have some 20,000 – 25,000 fighters before the war. The report noted that low-level operatives can easily be replaced.
Pivoting to killing leaders, the US officials believe, would help reduce civilian casualties in Gaza and, if successful, would give Israel’s politicians “more latitude with the Israeli public to wind down the military campaign in Gaza.”
The report said that among the efforts undertaken by the US was an increase in drone flights over Gaza and attempts to intercept Hamas communications.
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The task force is also focused on locating the hostages and providing information on their conditions. The report noted that CIA Director Robert Burns was deeply involved in negotiations that led to a deal that saw some of the hostages released.
The CIA declined to comment on the report.
SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES
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