Claim
Israeli security officials, however, were reported to have warned that Hamas signed on primarily to forestall renewed IDF operations, describing the move as a potential 'ambush' aimed at buying time
Attributed to Israeli security officials
Evidence
Web searches found multiple contemporaneous news reports corroborating this specific claim. The Times of Israel (timesofisrael.com) published an article titled 'Hamas urges US pressure on Jerusalem over Gaza plan; Israel said to warn of ambush,' reporting that Israeli security officials warned Hamas 'only signed to prevent renewed IDF action' and framed the deal as a stalling tactic. A related outlet, HNGN, reported that Shin Bet chief David Zini reportedly told colleagues Hamas's signing amounted to a 'strategic ambush' aimed at buying time and preventing Israel from resuming military action before the next election. No Reuters Fact Check, AFP Fact Check, Bellingcat, or EUvsDisinfo assessment of this specific claim was found in search results — it appears to be a straightforward news report on internal Israeli security assessments rather than a viral image/video claim requiring forensic fact-checking.
Supporting sources
Assessment
Multiple independent news outlets (Times of Israel, HNGN) reported nearly identical language attributing this 'ambush'/buying-time characterization to Israeli security officials, but these reports themselves rely on anonymous/unnamed officials and internal discussions, meaning the underlying claim cannot be independently confirmed beyond the reporting chain, and no dedicated fact-checking organization has verified it.
Confidence
Some independent corroboration was found, but it isn't yet conclusive.
Timeline
Aug 9, 2026, 9:22 PM UTC
LikelyInitial assessment.
First observed Aug 9, 2026, 9:22 PM UTC · Last reviewed Aug 24, 2026, 9:30 AM UTC