New Delhi, August 13, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The reported strengthening of links between Hamas and Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has raised fresh security concerns in India, with intelligence inputs and a recent security study pointing to the possible transfer of Hamas’ guerrilla warfare and tunnel-building expertise to terror networks operating from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Indian security officials have repeatedly flagged contacts between Hamas and Pakistan-based groups in recent months. According to the officials, the reported engagement is part of a broader effort by Pakistan’s military establishment and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) to enhance the operational capabilities of LeT and JeM.
A recent paper by the Udaipur-based security and foreign-policy think tank Usanas Foundation, titled ‘Hamas-Pakistan Nexus: A Threat to India and Israel’, examines the reported relationship and its potential implications for India.
The paper argues that Hamas could benefit from safe havens and financial support in Pakistan, while Pakistan-based terror organisations could seek to acquire expertise in guerrilla warfare and tunnel-based operations. It warns that the development of extensive tunnel infrastructure in PoK could pose a new challenge to Indian security forces by enabling militants to operate covertly from underground networks.
The study also highlights the potential use of drones and gliders by terror groups in Kashmir, drawing parallels with tactics used by Hamas during its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel.
Indian officials believe such cooperation could allow Pakistan-based groups to sustain prolonged confrontation with Indian forces while reducing the direct involvement of the Pakistan Army. An Intelligence Bureau official cited in the report said this could also provide Islamabad with a degree of deniability in the event of a conflict.
The reported nexus has also raised concerns over propaganda and ideological mobilisation. The Usanas Foundation paper notes that Hamas has developed sophisticated propaganda capabilities and argues that similar methods could be adopted by Pakistan-based groups during a conflict involving India.
Officials have pointed to public rallies and meetings in Pakistan involving figures associated with Hamas, LeT and JeM, where speakers have drawn parallels between Gaza and Kashmir. According to the officials, such messaging has been used to reinforce a narrative of Muslim victimhood and intensify anti-Israel sentiment in Pakistan.
The report also cites a meeting in Doha last year between Pakistan’s then envoy to Qatar, Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Aamer, and senior Hamas official Basem Naim. It says the two sides portrayed the Kashmir and Gaza issues as comparable, which security experts view as an indication of broader political and ideological convergence.
Security officials and experts believe the reported Pakistan-Hamas engagement therefore extends beyond conventional terror cooperation and could involve the transfer of battlefield tactics, underground infrastructure expertise, drone and glider capabilities, and propaganda techniques.
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