Mohammed Najib, Ramallah- IHS Jane's Defence Weekly
20 February 2014



For the first time since its establishment in 1987, the Palestinian militant group Hamas is using a firearms simulator rather than live ammunition to train its personnel in marksmanship.

Israeli newspaper Maariv reported on 16 February that Hamas had made this shift because the group is suffering growing financial pressures due to the Egyptian krackdown on the smuggling tunnels running under the border between the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula.

Mohammed Khalaf, a senior Hamas commander, confirmed to IHS Jane's that the simulator was "a creative innovation" developed in response to an ammunition shortage. "It's an advanced laser shooting system that simulates real weapons and we have integrated it for the AK-47 Kalashnikov assault rifle, M16 and pistols," he said. "It can be used to train beginners and in requalification. We hope one day we will get an advanced sniper training simulator."

The weapons are fitted with laser devices and a gas system that simulates recoil. The simulator can detect where the laser is pointing as users fire at targets up to 20 m away so the computer can show the results of their shooting. It is expected to save around USD20,000 in ammunition per month, according to Hamas sources.

While firearms simulators are used by many militaries and security forces around the world, other Palestinian factions see the development as an embarrassing sign of Hamas' weakness. "If you do not hear the sound of the bullets near your ears and between your feet you are not training," a senior Palestinian Authority officer told IHS Jane's .

The ammunition shortage in the Gaza Strip has escalated since the Egyptian military overthrew the Muslim Brotherhood's President Mohamed Morsi in July 2013. Since then, Egyptian security forces have conducted an unprecedented krackdown against the smuggling tunnels, causing severe shortages of many goods in the Gaza Strip.

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