Hamas and Gaza-based armed groups used RPG-7-pattern launchers and related RPG weapons for close-range anti-armor, ambush, and assault fire against Israeli forces in Gaza.
| Claim | Sources |
|---|---|
| Hamas fighters were armed with RPG-7 launchers in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. | Sources: JINSA October 7 War Observations |
| Hamas used standard RPG launchers in Gaza against tanks, APCs, and buildings. | Sources: Ynet Hamas RPG Use |
| IDF updates reported RPG fire at troops and RPG launchers found during Gaza operations. | Sources: IDF Real-Time Updates |
| F-7 evidence is related RPG-family context but is not treated as identical to an RPG-7 launcher. | Sources: AP Hamas F-7 Reporting |
Timeline
AP reporting tied seized weapons and militant imagery to Hamas use of North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenades during the October 7 attack, while distinguishing the F-7 from the more widely distributed RPG-7.
Sources: AP Hamas F-7 Reporting
The IDF said RPG fire and small-arms fire were directed at Israeli soldiers from the entrance area of Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City.
Sources: IDF Real-Time Updates
The IDF said a camera recovered from a Hamas operative showed fighters with RPGs, and that Kfir Brigade soldiers located RPG launchers, ammunition, and other Hamas equipment in a civilian residential building.
Sources: IDF Real-Time Updates
Ynet reported that Hamas mostly used standard RPG launchers against Israeli forces, including tanks, APCs, and buildings.
Sources: Ynet Hamas RPG Use
JINSA's October 2023-May 2024 observations report described Hamas fighters as armed with RPG-7 launchers and said RPG-7s were prevalent in the conflict, particularly against IDF tanks.
Sources: JINSA October 7 War Observations
Hamas and Gaza-based armed groups used RPG-7-pattern launchers and related RPG weapons in the 2023 Israel-Hamas War. JINSA's May 2024 war observations report states that Hamas fighters were armed with Iranian, Russian, and North Korean-made RPG-7 launchers and that RPG-7s became a prevalent feature of the conflict, especially against Israeli tanks.
Ynet reported in January 2024 that Hamas mostly used standard RPG launchers in Gaza, including against tanks, APCs, and buildings where soldiers were positioned. IDF real-time updates separately reported RPG fire at troops near Al-Quds Hospital on November 13, 2023, and RPG launchers found in a civilian residential building during operations reported on December 1, 2023.
Sources: JINSA October 7 War Observations, Ynet Hamas RPG Use, IDF Real-Time Updates
Public evidence placed RPG-family weapons in Hamas service from the war's opening weeks. AP reported on October 19, 2023 that seized weapons and militant imagery pointed to Hamas use of North Korean F-7 rocket-propelled grenades during the October 7 attack; AP and weapons specialists distinguished the F-7 from the Soviet-era RPG-7 while noting its close resemblance and RPG-family role.
On November 13, 2023, the IDF said RPG fire and small-arms fire were directed at Israeli soldiers from the entrance area of Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City. On December 1, 2023, the IDF said troops found a camera showing Hamas operatives with RPGs and later located RPG launchers and ammunition in a civilian residential building.
Sources: AP Hamas F-7 Reporting, IDF Real-Time Updates
The RPG-7's documented role in Gaza was close-range anti-armor and assault fire. JINSA describes Hamas use of camouflage, ruins, and ambush tactics to launch RPG and improvised explosive attacks on advancing IDF troops, and identifies RPG-7 launchers as part of Hamas's conventional weapons stock at the start of the war.
The evidence also shows a broader RPG ecosystem rather than one uniform launcher-and-round combination. Ynet described standard RPG launchers, Yassin and TBG munitions, North Korean F-7 RPGs, and RPG-29s in Gaza; AP reported F-7 use during the October 7 attack; and the parent RPG-7 record links the Al-Yasin 105 as a related RPG-7-compatible projectile. This page treats RPG-7 use as the reusable launcher family where sources directly name RPG-7 or standard RPG launchers, while keeping F-7 and Al-Yasin references as related ammunition context.
Sources: JINSA October 7 War Observations, Ynet Hamas RPG Use, AP Hamas F-7 Reporting
