Tel Aviv, Jan. 7 : The Islamist militant group Hamas is reported to have several key weapons that could inflict heavy casualties on any invading force, including Israel, despite being overmatched.

According to Fox News, the Hamas has built a force of willing suicide bombers whose explosive vests are typically packed with an assortment of shrapnel to raise the casualty rate among their targets.

While Israeli soldiers are prepared to die in the defense of their country, they are also trained to survive. The suicide bomber is, therefore, a weapon available only to one side of this conflict.

Hamas has been talking tough in the face of superior military power; its leaders have vowed to inflict massive casualties.

As Israel pushes into Gaza on the ground, it does not know exactly what weapons -- and how many of them -- Hamas possesses.

According to the Israelis, the Syrians and Iranians have supplied Hamas with training and weaponry.

The weapons systems flowed into Lebanon more easily than they can in Gaza, where the borders are under stricter surveillance. But a network of underground tunnels used for smuggling has military analysts questioning exactly what weapons the militants in Gaza may possess.

Hamas lacks air, sea and armor assets, so it has little hope of successfully challenging Israeli forces on an open battlefield. But a modern military''s overwhelming advantage dwindles quickly in an urban environment.

Al Aqsa Television has broadcast footage of Hamas gunmen brandishing American assault rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, rocket launchers and ammunition the U. S. reportedly provided to Fatah.

The captured weaponry is said to include 7,400 American M-16 assault rifles and 800,000 rounds of bullets.

Israeli soldiers have the advantage of specific urban operations training, a modern communications system, personal weapons like night vision goggles (NVGs) and the Israeli designed Tavor, a highly accurate automatic assault rifle conceived specifically with close-quarter combat in mind.

They also possess a variety of hand-grenades and explosives to breech obstacles and eliminate the enemy, but they must be mindful of civilian casualties. (ANI)