Documents recovered by Israeli forces in Gaza reveal that Hamas had been planning a series of attacks against Israel far more extensive than the Oct. 7, 2023 attack, according to a report by The Washington Post. The plans, which included potential attacks on skyscrapers and railways, were part of a larger strategy to draw Iran into direct conflict with Israel.
The 59 pages of Arabic documents, obtained by The Washington Post, include a detailed presentation outlining possible attack scenarios and letters from Hamas leaders to Iranian officials requesting substantial financial and military support. While the authenticity of the documents could not be independently verified, US and Israeli officials who reviewed them found them consistent with intelligence assessments.
According to the documents, Hamas leaders envisioned a multi-pronged assault on Israel, potentially involving allied terrorist groups attacking from multiple directions. The plans, some of which experts deemed impractical, included using trains as weapons, modifying boats for attacks on ports, and even employing horse-drawn chariots for stealth operations.
In letters dated June 2021, Yahya Sinwar, Hamas' leader in Gaza, appealed to senior Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, for $500 million in funding and training for 12,000 additional fighters. Sinwar pledged to destroy Israel within two years with Iran's backing, writing, "We promise you that we will not waste a minute or a penny unless it takes us toward achieving this sacred goal."
The documents suggest that Hamas hoped its initial attacks would spark a broader conflict, drawing in allies like Hezbollah and Iran. While Hezbollah has engaged in rocket attacks since Oct. 7, it has not launched a full-scale assault. Iran, initially surprised by the Oct. 7 attack, has been increasingly drawn into the conflict, including recent aerial assaults on Israel.
Israeli officials view the documents as evidence of Hamas' attempts to escalate the conflict and involve Iran more directly. "Hamas is so determined to wipe Israel and the Jewish people off the map that it managed to drag Iran into direct conflict – under conditions that Iran wasn't prepared for," an Israeli security official who reviewed the documents said.
The planning document, created in late 2022, outlines potential targets including military installations and landmarks in Tel Aviv, such as the 70-story Moshe Aviv Tower and the famous Azrieli Towers, in an attack similar to Sept. 11. The document highlights the proximity of the IDF's central command to these structures, speculating that the destruction of a neighboring skyscraper might potentially cause damage to the military base. It also describes using Israel's rail system to transport explosives and fighters and modifying fishing vessels for attacks on ports.
Hamas' relations with Iran have evolved over time, with the terrorist group increasingly seeking Iranian support since 2014. Udi Levi, an expert on Hamas financing, noted that Iran has become more influential in directing how its support is used.
The documents also reveal Hamas leaders' concerns about improving relations between Israel and Arab Gulf states, which they saw as a threat to their "resistance project."
Iran's mission to the United Nations dismissed the allegations, calling Israel "a mendacious criminal, anti-human entity" with "a long history of spreading falsehoods." Basem Naim, a senior Hamas official, declined to comment on the documents' contents but questioned their authenticity.
The Oct. 7 assault, meticulously orchestrated over several months caught Israel off guard when approximately 6,000 Hamas terrorists simultaneously breached the Israel-Gaza border and launched a devastating rampage across Israeli military bases, towns, and communities in southern Israel. The attack, conceived by Sinwar and other top officials in Hamas' leadership, resulted in the deaths of over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of around 250 hostages, of whom 101 are still held in captivity. This attack stands as the most lethal attack on Jews since the Holocaust.
