Hamas' plan to storm Israeli border communities, as happened on October 7, was known only to 70 members of its elite Nukhba unit, London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported on Wednesday, citing sources close to the military wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades.
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The terrorists, who trained for years without knowing the specific purpose of their training, launched a surprise attack from several different areas along the Gaza-Israel border, crossing it using explosive devices prepared and tailored for "weak points" identified in the fence. The sources revealed that the terrorists employed drones and paragliders, enabling them to take down Israeli positions.
According to the report, preparations for the attack began in 2014, prior to Operation Protective Edge, but the plan was put on hold with the outbreak of the operation. In 2021, it was decided to prepare for the attack again.
The terrorists were trained over the years and underwent special tests to determine their capabilities and combat skills for the attack. Shortly thereafter, they were sworn in before their leaders, pledging not to disclose secrets about their training and the specialized training plans.
The sources confirmed to the newspaper that many commanders of the military wing in Gaza were not aware of all the details.
The information compartmentalization, as claimed in the report, was intended to prevent leaks to Israeli intelligence. Ultimately, the decision to carry out the attack and its timing was made by five people: Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Yahya Sinwar, the military wing's leader Muhammad Deif, one of Deif's assistants and Yahya Sinwar's brother Muhammad Sinwar, Hamas politburo member Rawhi Mushtaha and Hamas’ Central Brigade commander Ayman Nofal, who was assassinated by Israel in October.
The sources revealed that the attack's planners subsequently briefed the Al-Qassam Brigades commanders on the prepared equipment and the attack strategy, but withheld details about its timing. They said that a final notice regarding the preparations was issued three days before the attack during a meeting between the brigade commanders and the regional battalion commanders of the terrorist organization.
In these meetings, each commander was assigned specific tasks without being given a complete overview of the operation. The brigade commanders diligently readied their chosen forces for the mission. Concurrently, Ayman Siam, the chief of the rocket division who was also killed in the war, was tasked with preparing to launch hundreds of missiles in coordination with the onset of the attack.
The sources further said that senior members of the terrorist organization, including politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh and his deputy Saleh al-Arouri, were informed of the existence of an extraordinary attack plan without being given specific details or timing. They, like the rest of the terrorists, were made aware of the attack's timing only a few hours before it was launched.
According to the sources, October 7 was chosen following reports from surveillance units confirming "absolute quiet" at the border. On Friday, the five "partners in secrecy" decided that Saturday morning was the most suitable time for the attack.
They waited until midnight and then issued orders to prepare. At this stage, field commanders and Nukhba terrorists received instructions and began moving until dawn.
The report also indicated that secrecy surrounding the attack extended to Hamas's political figures. The sources said that the organization's leaders in and outside Gaza were briefed hours before the attack and were asked "to completely disappear, in accordance with the security measures taken in times of emergency."