Since the outbreak of the war, Israeli and foreign sources have reported that Hamas has been using Chinese weapons. How and why did these weapons reach Hamas?
In March 2025, the British Parliament’s report on the events of October 7 was published, examining the weaponry used during the attacks on that day. The report indicates that some of the weapons used were Chinese-made, including AK-47 rifles, multi-purpose machine guns, and anti-tank weapons designed for operation by small teams. However, the report notes that these weapons had come from war-torn countries such as Libya and Iraq, which had previously purchased Chinese weapons, and there is no indication of direct supply chains from China to the Gaza Strip.
As for rockets, the report refers to the Syrian-made M-302 rocket, based on the Chinese WS-1 rocket system. Hezbollah and Hamas have previously used this rocket in various conflicts. The WS rocket system was developed by the Sichuan Academy of Aerospace Technology in China and includes several models of rocket launch systems, such as the WS-1 and its improved version WS-1B, which has an extended range of up to 180 kilometers. These systems were not adopted by the Chinese military but rather were developed for export, purchased by countries such as Thailand, Iran, and North Korea. The M-302, known as “Khaibar-1,” is a 302 mm caliber rocket developed by the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center and is derived from the Chinese WS-1 rocket. Thus, the weapon wasn’t supplied directly from China but originated from a Chinese design.
Since the outbreak of the war, Israeli and foreign sources have reported that Hamas has been using Chinese weapons. How and why did these weapons reach Hamas?
In March 2025, the British Parliament’s report on the events of October 7 was published, examining the weaponry used during the attacks on that day. The report indicates that some of the weapons used were Chinese-made, including AK-47 rifles, multi-purpose machine guns, and anti-tank weapons designed for operation by small teams. However, the report notes that these weapons had come from war-torn countries such as Libya and Iraq, which had previously purchased Chinese weapons, and there is no indication of direct supply chains from China to the Gaza Strip.
As for rockets, the report refers to the Syrian-made M-302 rocket, based on the Chinese WS-1 rocket system. Hezbollah and Hamas have previously used this rocket in various conflicts. The WS rocket system was developed by the Sichuan Academy of Aerospace Technology in China and includes several models of rocket launch systems, such as the WS-1 and its improved version WS-1B, which has an extended range of up to 180 kilometers. These systems were not adopted by the Chinese military but rather were developed for export, purchased by countries such as Thailand, Iran, and North Korea. The M-302, known as “Khaibar-1,” is a 302 mm caliber rocket developed by the Syrian Scientific Studies and Research Center and is derived from the Chinese WS-1 rocket. Thus, the weapon wasn’t supplied directly from China but originated from a Chinese design.