IDF: 'Weakened' Hamas attempting to rearm during Iran war — IED manufacturing, small rocket production

IDF officials told reporters on 27 March 2026 that Hamas has likely been attempting to rearm amid the ongoing ceasefire in Gaza (since October 2025) but is 'nowhere near attaining the strength it had before the war.' The IDF assesses Hamas rearmament efforts as 'very limited,' largely because the group no longer has access to its primary weapons-smuggling routes. 'This is not the same Hamas; it is a significantly weakened organization,' IDF officials said. Hamas is assessed to be manufacturing improvised explosive devices and possibly small rockets, in very small quantities. The group still possesses hundreds of rockets from before the war that were not destroyed during the IDF's two-year ground offensive. During the Iran war, IDF destroyed approximately 8km of Hamas tunnels in Gaza and killed over 60 operatives who crossed ceasefire lines or planned attacks. IDF Southern Command maintains forces on alert for 'a wide range of scenarios, including dedicated ground forces and aerial support.'