Rep. Brian Mast told Newsmax that international financial and military assistance of Hamas was coming from sources beyond the mullahs of Iran.
Speaking with Greta Van Susteren on Sunday, the Florida Republican said that although Iran is the primary sponsor of the Islamic Resistance Movement in the Gaza Strip, other nations have facilitated its rise.
"Let's take Iran as the No. 1 money entity that is supporting this. But then you think of the sophisticated network ... many of these rockets are the length of Suburbans. They're not small.
"So to get those from Iran through maybe Iraq or Syria or Jordan or other places to get them into either the Gaza Strip or the West Bank, respectively ... it's a very sophisticated network."
Mast warned that the network used to transport missiles and other equipment into Gaza confidentially might be the same one terrorists are currently using to spread around over 100 Israeli prisoners.
"I think the biggest problem America runs into is using the term, 'day or two,'" the lawmaker said. "This is not a short-term thing. I think in Israel, you have conversation about life before yesterday and life after yesterday — the way Americans talk about 9/11."
NBC News reported Sunday that the Israeli military estimates that around 700 people have been killed since Hamas launched a surprise ground, sea, and air invasion of Israel from the Gaza Strip on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry estimates at least 424 individuals were killed in retaliatory Israeli strikes on Gaza over the same period. Both sides have imprisoned dozens of others.
The United States plans to move Navy ships and aircraft closer to signal support.
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