Israeli military and intelligence officials dismissed the plan as aspirational, considering it too difficult for Hamas to carry out.
Israeli officials reportedly received Hamas’s plan for the terrorist attack on Oct. 7 over a year before it happened, according to the New York Times. But Israeli military and intelligence officials dismissed the plan as aspirational, considering it too difficult for Hamas to carry out. It was a 40-page document that Israeli officials called “Jericho Wall”. The plan addressed the exact kind of invasion that occurred which led to the deaths of around 1,200 people.
The translated document, which was reviewed by The New York Times, did not set a date for the attack, but described a methodical assault designed to overwhelm the fortifications around the Gaza Strip, take over Israeli cities and storm key military bases, including a division headquarters.
The document addressed that a barrage of rockets would occur, drones would be used to get rid of security cameras and automated machine guns were going to be used on the border. According to the Times, the document also described gunmen going into Israel in paragliders, on foot and by motorcycle. All of those things did happen.
It is unclear if the document was seen by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other political leaders, according to the Times.
A veteran analysis with Israel’s signals intelligence agency warned that Hamas was undergoing extensive training exercises in July. Those concerns were reportedly brushed off by a colonel in the Gaza division, according to encrypted emails that the Times reviewed.
According to BBC, Groups carried out joint drills in Gaza that were reportedly similar to what happened during the Oct. 7 attack. This was going on less than a mile from the Israel barrier. They reportedly posted the drills on social media.
“They practiced hostage-taking, raiding compounds and breaching Israel’s defenses during these exercises, the last of which was held just 25 days before the attack,” the BBC reported.
Shortly after the document was obtained, officials in the Israeli military’s Gaza division said that Hamas’s intentions were unclear. “It is not yet possible to determine whether the plan has been fully accepted and how it will be manifested,” read a military assessment reviewed by The Times.