Nukhba Force
قوات النخبة
Also known asAl-Nukhba
LeadersAli Al Qadi †
Bilal al Qadr †
Ayman Nofal †
Ibrahim Biari †
Dates of operation2010 – present
Country Palestine
Allegiance Hamas
HeadquartersGaza Strip
Active regions Palestine
 Israel
IdeologyPalestinian self-determination
Palestinian nationalism
Anti-Zionism
Islamism
Part ofIzz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades
Opponents Israel
Battles and wars

Nukhba (Arabic: نخبة, lit. 'elite'), Nukhba Force or Al-Nukhba are naval commandos[2] in a special forces unit of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.[3]

Israel claims the unit led the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 at the beginning of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war.[4] Their main focus is to attack on or underwater, and to infiltrate Israel via its beaches, using underwater explosives and guided missiles which are unaffected by the Iron Dome air defense system.[5] Targets include Israeli infrastructure at sea, military and civilian vessels[6] and power stations.[5]

Training

Nukhba members begin their long and rigorous land and sea-based training when they are 18 to 20 years old, and may be recruited from fishermen.[7] The starting salary of US$400–500 a month is over five times the average salary in the Gaza Strip.[6]

Organization

The Nukhba are distributed geographically across the Gaza Strip.[8]

History

Hamas formed its naval unit in about 2010 after the Gaza War (2008–2009) to strengthen its efforts against Israel and help smuggle weapons into Gaza by sea. In July 2014, four divers emerged from the sea on Zikim Beach armed with grenades and automatic weapons to mount an attack on a tank, but were killed by the IDF.[5][6]

Their units sustained losses in the 2014 Gaza War. In 2015, they were being trained and equipped in Iran.[9] In 2017, some of its members left to join Islamic State in the Sinai Peninsula.[3][10] In October 2017, Nukhba commandos were amongst the 14 militants killed when one of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's tunnels collapsed.[6] By 2018, the underwater commando unit had around 1,500 members.[11] In January 2022, Nukhba divers claimed they had been attacked by a military dolphin which Israel was using to counter their operations.

2023 Israel–Hamas war

On October 7, Hamas forces invaded Israel, killing more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians.[12][13]

According to Israel's security service Shin Bet, captured Nukhba members were ordered to kill everyone they saw and carry out atrocities against civilians including women and children. If they brought hostages back to Gaza they would be richly rewarded.[14]

In the Battle of Zikim, naval commandos landed boats on Zikim Beach and stormed the Bahad 4 military base.[1]

Post 7 October attack

According to an IDF spokesman, the Israeli air force have been specifically targeting Nukhba.[15] Shin Bet set up a new unit called Nili – an abbreviation of the Hebrew phrase Netzach Yisrael Lo Yeshaker (transl. The Eternity of Israel Will Not Lie) – tasked with hunting down Nukhba members.[16]

According to the IDF, on October 17, Hamas' fourth most senior commander Ayman Nofal who had responsibility for the Nukhba and the Be'eri and Re'im music festival massacres was killed in an airstrike.[17]

According to footage the Israeli security services released of interrogation of purportedly captured Nukhba members, Hamas has been using medical facilities in the Gaza Strip, especially the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, to shield themselves from Israeli strikes and that the underground levels of the hospital are utilized for hiding resources like weapons and ammunition. Hamas denied these claims.[18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "This is How Al-Qassam's Navel Units Stormed Zakim's Fortified Military Base – VIDEO". The Palestine Chronicle. October 9, 2023. Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  2. ↑ Nakhoul, Samia (October 13, 2023). "How Hamas secretly built a 'mini-army' to fight Israel". Reuters. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Rothwell, James (October 12, 2023). "Israel sets its sights on destroying Nukhba, the mysterious Hamas commando squad". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  4. ↑ Cook, Ellie (October 12, 2023). "'Elite' Hamas Unit Behind Saturday Massacre Targeted in Israel Air Strikes". Newsweek. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Bilefsky, Dan (May 17, 2021). "Israel is targeting Hamas naval forces. So what can Hamas do by sea?". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 15, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Siryoti, Daniel (July 13, 2020). "Formidable Hamas unit cleans house in wake of high-level defection". Israel Hayom. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  7. ↑ Israel, David (October 22, 2023). "Left Behind: Hamas Terrorist Who Participated in 10/7 Massacre Captured". The Jewish Press. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  8. ↑ Abu Amer, Adnan (June 18, 2019). "Israel's increasing concern about Hamas' growing naval capabilities". Middle East Monitor. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  9. ↑ Issacharoff, Avi (August 21, 2015). "Sending naval commandos to Iran via Sinai, Hamas pushed Egypt too far". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on October 16, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  10. ↑ Issacharoff, Avi (February 7, 2017). "Elite Hamas fighters defecting to Islamic State". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  11. ↑ Ahronheim, Anna (February 5, 2018). "Israeli Navy on high alert over upgraded Hamas underwater terror threat". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Israeli death toll from Hamas shock onslaught reaches 1,300". The Times of Israel. October 12, 2023. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  13. ↑ Sheils McNamee, Michael (October 11, 2023). "Children among 17 Britons dead or missing in Israel". BBC News. Archived from the original on October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Kill, behead, rape: Interrogated Hamas members detail atrocities against civilians". Times of Israel. October 24, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  15. ↑ Wong, Edward; Yazbek, Hiba (October 13, 2023). "Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza Worsens as Israel Prepares a Possible Invasion". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved October 13, 2023.
  16. ↑ Bohbot, Amir (October 22, 2023). "New Israeli unit has one goal: Kill all terrorists involved in massacre". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  17. ↑ Rapaport, Amir (October 20, 2013). "Israel at War – End of Week 2: Eliminating Hamas' Nukhba Terrorists and Preparing for a Ground Operation". israeldefense.co.il. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  18. ↑ Zitun, Yoav (October 28, 2023). "Detained terrorists admit Hamas using hospitals to shield themselves". Ynet. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
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