Training excercise teaching how to hijack Israeli soldiers. Photo: Inside the video

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During Operation Cast Lead, IDF forces uncovered a video that displays the military academy’s activity of the terror organization. This was reported by the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center in Glilot. The video was produced in 2007 by the the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (the Hamas military-terrorism branch). The video is one hour long and is meant to encourage students to recruit to the academy that was established in order to improve the training alignment of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

According to the film, the academy’s first course was trained in the center of the strip in the Nuseirat Camp. The training began on November 29, 2006 with the participation of the Nuseirat Brigade of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The course was named after the terrorist Izz ad-Din al-Qassam and was four months long, including both theoretical classes and practical exercises. The first course finished off with a ceremony displaying a military demonstration in March 2007 with the attendance of Hamas senior operatives.

During the academy’s first course, students were provided with more than 100 hours of instruction on various topics, including the creation o destructive devices, self defense, first aid, camouflage, cargo activation and military training, which included instruction regarding breaking in to IDF posts and the abduction of soldiers. Throughout the course, students learned about Jihad and its warriors, in the context of Abdullah Yusuf Azzam’s legacy. The course instructors explain to the students that they are fighting for the Palestinian land, as well as for Allah and Islam. This message is reinforced by the poster hanging in the entrance of the academy, and reflects the radical Islamic agenda that has not changed since the terror organization’s establishment. 

According to the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, the military academy was established toward the end of 2006. This establishment of the academy is another phase in the training program that emphasizes both Hamas operations and ideology. This is part of Hamas efforts to improve their readiness to act against Israel, its soldiers and its civilians.