Residents of the Gaza Belt region have reported and even recorded the sounds of Hamas terrorists conducting a massive training drill just over the border, in apparent preparation for the organization's fourth terror war against Israel.
The testimony and recordings were published on Wednesday by Yedioth Aharonoth, ahead of a meeting by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu later in the day with the heads of regional councils in the area.
"For a quarter of an hour we heard the sounds of huge blasts and explosions, and afterwards complete silence - and then calls in Arabic, that sounded like the war calls of fighters," said one of the Gaza Belt residents on Tuesday.
The sounds were heard and recorded by residents coming from a Hamas post over the border in northern Gaza just a few days ago.
"It was really frightening, it's clear that it is part of their intensive training," said the resident to the paper.
The sounds of training come in addition to the sounds of tunnel digging residents have reported hearing from underground beneath their homes, with many reporting the digging has even caused their homes to shake. The government has confirmed that Hamas is rebuilding its terror tunnel network.
The IDF estimates Hamas is focusing its efforts on one major terror tunnel breaching far under the security barrier, with roughly 1,000 terrorists said to be working on the tunnel meant to enable a surprise attack deep inside Israeli territory; the tunnel has yet to be located.
Demanding an explanation
Aside from the tunnels and the training drills, residents have recently reported seeing Hamas showing other new signs of military buildup right on the security barrier.
New antennas have been spotted by the residents at Hamas posts just over the border, located mere meters away from sovereign Israeli territory.
Cameras and various technological means that are anticipated to be used by the terrorist organization in its next war against Israel have also been spotted near the border, in an effort by Hamas to increase its technological capabilities against the IDF.
Netanyahu is to meet with regional council heads on Wednesday, with the tunnel threat set to be a key topic of discussion, as well as Hamas' rearming and the Israeli preparations ahead of the inevitable next conflict with the terror enclave of Gaza.
The regional heads are to ask Netanyahu for an explanation of his government's policy regarding the palpable threats from Gaza as Hamas continues to advance its terror tunnel system.
Also to be raised in the meeting is the establishment of a new security barrier along the Gaza border, which is to include technological means to detect disturbances in an effort to confront the Hamas threats. The development of the Gaza Belt region and budgets for the residents are likewise to be discussed.
Hof Ashkelon Regional Council head Yair Farjoun said Tuesday that "we will demand that the Prime Minister launch a process of removing the obstructions to the budgets and projects to advance the settlement in the Gaza Belt."