Israeli Navy officers say they are operating for nearly 1,000 straight days off the Gaza coast, with the daily mission of stopping smuggling from Sinai and preventing seaborne infiltration into Israel. At the same time, security officials say Hamas is trying to rebuild its naval capability, including by placing observation posts to track IDF vessels along the strip's coastline.
The IDF is also preparing for the possibility that Hamas will try to enter Israel quietly from the sea. A senior officer at the Ashdod Navy base told Walla, "Our working assumption is that Hamas will try to rebuild itself in the maritime arena, and we are taking into account the possibility that, even if it cannot operate a motorboat, it will try to infiltrate with a haseka and oars." He said Ashdod's operating concept has changed since the October 7 attacks, and the focus now is on preventing terrorists from landing from the sea until the threat is defeated.
He described the approach as "proactive offensive defense" and said the forces are working with the supremacy branch in the operations directorate to strike anti-tank missile cells that could threaten ships. "Hamas does not have advanced manufacturing capabilities like before, but we must assess that it will try to build means above and below the water and thwart any intent," he said.
The officer added that one of the main lessons from the October 7 assault was stronger cooperation between the Navy and Southern Command to enable a rapid response to sea infiltration scenarios. "We practice these scenarios every day," he said. "There is no commander at sea who does not speak with corresponding ground forces from the Northern Brigade in the Gaza Division." He said most of the operational burden falls on Flotilla 916, with reserve crews also being called up selectively, and added, "We are approaching 1,000 days of fighting. Unlike the ground forces, no one replaces us. We are conducting combat under heavy strain. There is not a day without friction at sea מול the Gaza Strip."
