Israel is shelling Hamas in northern Gaza as the Palestinian group attempts to rebuild battalions that were shattered earlier in the war, according to a prominent think tank.

Hamas has quietly been reappointing commanders in its northern division as the IDF’s (Israel Defence Force) attention shifts to Khan Younis in the south, Israeli security sources believe.

According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the IDF’s 215th Artillery Brigade has “directed airstrikes to kill many Palestinian fighters in the northern Gaza Strip in the past 24 hours”.

It added: “ISW previously reported that Hamas fighters are already reinfiltrating areas that Israeli forces cleared in the northern Gaza Strip, which will facilitate Hamas’ reconstitution.”

Hamas’ a-Shati, Shujaiyeh and Jabalya battalions are reportedly among the battalions that are being rebuilt. Dismantling the units was a key objective of Israel’s campaign at the start of the war.

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