Speaking to members of the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi says Hamas operatives seen at the terror group’s hostage release ceremonies were afraid to confront troops before the ceasefire.
“Don’t be bothered by footage of Hamas operatives standing in ironed uniforms at the hostage release ceremonies in Gaza, these are operatives who, until the ceasefire, were afraid to confront you,” he says to the commandos during a visit to the Navy this week.
Halevi says the Hamas operatives “hid their uniform and sat in some tent in the Mawasi [southern Gaza humanitarian zone] in civilian clothes.”
“After the ceasefire started, they ironed the uniform and stood with their chest out on stage. When we go back [to fighting] they will realize who we are and who they are, and this is the way you have to look at it,” he says.
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