Avigdor Lieberman Reveals Hamas Training Raid on Israeli Settlement, Claims Political Restraint Blocked IDF Response

Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, disclosed that approximately 50 Hamas-affiliated Nohaiba militants conducted a training exercise in Gaza this week simulating a raid and takeover of a Jewish settlement. According to Lieberman, IDF commanders on the ground sought to intervene and neutralize the militants, but the political leadership ordered them not to attack.

Lieberman's statements followed a report by Channel 12 news about unusual militant activity detected by the IDF near the Gaza border, raising concerns of a potential infiltration attempt. The military elevated alert levels and deployed forces to the border fence but refrained from engaging militants under political directives.

During a visit to the Gaza border area, including Karm Salem and the new American base near the Kerem Shalom crossing, Lieberman met with local security coordinators and expressed deep concern over the situation. He accused Prime Minister Netanyahu of concealing critical details from the security cabinet and the public, including an alleged agreement between the UN Special Coordinator Nikolay Mladenov and Hamas. Lieberman claimed this deal involved transferring $400 million to suppliers on Hamas’s list, with 40% of the funds, about $160 million, returned in cash to Hamas’s military wing.

Lieberman further asserted that the IDF has effectively completed its withdrawal to the outposts line (the purple line), leaving no soldiers between this line and the yellow concrete barriers (the yellow line). He described the official policy of not evacuating the yellow concrete barriers as a political smokescreen, emphasizing the absence of Israeli troops in that zone.

He also criticized American involvement, citing the visit of the U.S. Central Command chief to the new base as evidence of diminished Israeli autonomy in security decisions, suggesting that even minor military moves now require U.S. approval.