1-12-2023 (JERUSELAM) In a startling revelation, The New York Times reported on Friday (Dec 1) that Israel’s military had prior knowledge of Hamas’ plan to launch a destructive attack on Israeli soil more than a year before the devastating operation on October 7, resulting in the loss of hundreds of lives. This disclosure adds to a growing list of indications that high-ranking Israeli commanders either disregarded or downplayed warnings about Hamas plotting the attack, leading to a conflict with the Islamic militant group that wreaked havoc in the Gaza Strip.
According to The Times, Israeli officials were in possession of a 40-page battle plan, code-named “Jericho Wall,” outlining a hypothetical Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities. The document, translated into Hebrew, hinted at the possibility of being intercepted directly from Hamas, suggesting it might have initially been in Arabic. The Israeli military, currently focused on neutralizing the threat from Hamas, declined to comment on the report, stating that inquiries of this nature would be addressed at a later stage.
The report indicates that the 40-page document was seen by numerous Israeli military and intelligence officials, though it remains unclear whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other top leaders had reviewed it. The battle plan foresaw a scenario where Hamas would launch rockets at Israel, employ drones to disable Israel’s security and surveillance systems at the border wall, and seize control of southern communities and military bases. A separate 2016 Israeli defense memo obtained by The Times suggested that Hamas had intentions to take hostages back to Gaza.
Tragically, the October 7 attack, resulting in 1,200 casualties and the abduction of 240 people taken to Gaza, eerily mirrored the plan outlined in the battle document. However, Israeli officials reportedly dismissed the plan, considering it “aspirational” rather than a practical threat.
The revelation comes amidst public outrage directed at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government for its perceived failure to prevent an attack despite multiple warning signs. A month before the assault, Hamas shared a video on social media depicting fighters using explosives to breach a replica of the border gate, infiltrating in pickup trucks and methodically advancing through a simulated Israeli town, engaging in gunfire with paper targets resembling humans.
Adding to public anger over the military’s apparent negligence, Israeli media reports indicated that military officials ignored warnings from female border spotters who had observed Hamas’ preparations for the attack. These reports suggested that the young women had noticed Hamas drones and attempts to disable Israeli border cameras in the months leading up to the assault.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, stopping short of issuing an apology for the attack, asserted that assigning blame would need to wait until after the war. Critics argue that this stance reflects an attempt to evade responsibility for intelligence failures that led to the deadliest day in Israeli history.
