He also confirmed that the IDF has eliminated all known smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border.
By David Brummer, The IDF Club
Brig.-Gen. Barak Hiram, Commander of the IDF’s Gaza Division, said on Monday that Hamas is facing a collapse from within as its operational systems falter, financial resources dwindle, and public support erodes under sustained Israeli military pressure.
In a meeting with residents of Kibbutz Nirim, a community devastated by the October 7th, 2023 Hamas invasion, Hiram painted a picture of a terrorist regime in disarray, according to Ynet.
“Hamas is having an extremely difficult time paying salaries,” he said. “Once their apparatus stops functioning and people stop showing up for work, Hamas ceases to exist.”
Hiram stressed that the IDF’s military pressure—combined with diplomatic, economic, and psychological tactics—is driving Hamas into increasingly desperate positions.
“It’s not just heroic operations. It’s the cumulative pressure that will lead to a negotiated release of the hostages and, ultimately, to Hamas’s downfall,” he said.
According to the commander, the regime’s greatest fear is not external enemies but internal revolt.
“Dictatorships fear their own people. I believe the last Hamas leader—if we don’t kill him—will be taken out by the people themselves, like Gadhafi in Libya,” he said.
“That will be the moment to establish a new model of governance in Gaza.”
He confirmed that the IDF has eliminated all known smuggling tunnels along the Philadelphi Corridor on the Egypt-Gaza border.
“We inspected every segment. Everything we found was destroyed,” Hiram said.
“We’re confident there are no remaining tunnels. And more importantly, there’s no one left in the area to dig new ones.”
He added that while drone and land-based smuggling into Gaza from within Israel remains a concern, these threats are more manageable.
“We’ve also increased our monitoring of the coastline and humanitarian aid deliveries to ensure Hamas can’t use them to rebuild military capabilities.”
Hiram emphasized that restoring long-term security depends on preventing Hamas from ever reconstituting itself.
“Security arrangements after the war must be airtight. We can’t allow Hamas to rebuild from the rubble,” he said.
Turning to lessons from the October 7th massacres, Hiram acknowledged deep failings within the IDF and called for a doctrine shift in border defense.
“One of the tragic lessons is the need for communities to act as the final line of defense until the army arrives,” he said.
“Not tomorrow morning, but even 10, 20, or 30 years from now, this should be part of our doctrine, so they can hold out for half an hour until the IDF arrives.”
He noted that the IDF has expanded local response teams, upgraded weapons and training, and is working to ensure that no breach goes unchallenged.
“I don’t expect civilians to act as soldiers,” Hiram said. “But in a place where seconds count, every barrier matters.”
He also addressed the controversy surrounding his role on October 7th.
Hiram was appointed as Gaza Division commander in September, but he arrived at the border that morning and immediately engaged in combat.
During a critical standoff involving hostages holed up with terrorists in a house, he authorized the firing of several tank shells as a diversionary tactic.
A subsequent investigation found his actions “reasonable,” though not without tactical errors.
“I bear responsibility for the failure, the disgrace, and the disaster,” Hiram said.
“It wasn’t just a mistake. It was a systemic failure. Some things can’t be restored. But we must learn, adapt, and rebuild.”
Despite the ongoing conflict and national trauma, Hiram expressed cautious optimism.
“We must bring the hostages home, defeat Hamas, and rebuild our beloved country,” he said.
“That is our generational duty. Without it, neither the western Negev nor the entire nation can truly recover.”
