Claims

The Negev is deployed to cover high-speed avenues of approach (improved roads where vehicles can quickly move) because its high volume of fire enables it to destroy an incoming vehicle's engine and stop it, preventing vehicle-borne bombs from reaching their targets.

The IDF assigns two squad automatic weapons (Negev machine guns) to each nine-soldier infantry squad, with one positioned in each of the two four-soldier fire teams led by an NCO squad leader, allowing junior leaders to strategically deploy the highest casualty-producing weapon.

Suppressing fire from the Negev creates a window of maneuver opportunity for the squad, enabling two primary tactical actions: flanking enemies from behind and allowing soldiers equipped with rocket launchers to step out from cover and take aim at their targets.

Hamas operates very differently in strategy and tactics from the IDF; they place a premium on carrying RPGs and lightweight rifles to increase mobility rather than allowing themselves to get bogged down in single fighting positions, which creates different tactical priorities than the IDF's squad-based machine gun doctrine.

The Negev is not designed for pinpoint accuracy; Israel knows the exact fight the Negev will be engaged in is complex urban terrain where firefights occur at much closer ranges (around 50m) rather than 500m; while the weapon has a maximum range of 1,000m, the effective sweet spot is 300-400m for point targets and 500-600m for area targets.