Hamas has unsuccessfully been trying for two years to establish Kassam rocket launching capability in Judea and Samaria, according to an official IDF report. It also noted that there are specific threats to kidnap soldiers in the area.
The report stated that Hamas is less popular than before in Judea and Samaria but that the presence of the IDF has been instrumental in reducing anarchy and helping the economy to improve. Army soldiers arrest approximately 120 wanted terrorists every week, and the soldiers' presence has strengthened the hand of Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces against Hamas.