Israeli officials had been warned about plans for major attack by Hamas one year in advance
Date
12/3/2023 1:43:34 AM
(MENAFN) In a startling revelation, the New York Times reported that Israeli officials had been warned about detailed plans for a major attack by Hamas over a year before the group's devastating raid on October 7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties. According to the report, Israeli Intelligence officials possessed a comprehensive attack blueprint called 'Jericho Wall,' consisting of around 40 pages, which outlined the tactics employed by Hamas during the assault. Despite the advanced warning, officials allegedly dismissed the threat as implausible.
The NYT's findings were based on an analysis of the 'Jericho Wall' blueprint, along with emails and interviews with Israeli Intelligence officials. The actual Hamas raid closely mirrored the elements outlined in the plan, including the use of drones to disable the Gaza border fence and the deployment of paragliders to infiltrate Israeli territory. The precision with which Hamas fighters executed the plan was described by the NYT as "shocking."
Notably, militants reportedly incorporated a quote from the Quran into their actions, a verse that was featured in the attack plan: "Surprise them through the gate. If you do, you will certainly prevail." Originally an instruction to Jews led by Moses to rely on God when facing overwhelming enemies, the verse was adopted by the attackers.
Israeli authorities obtained the 'Jericho Wall' document last year, and a military assessment at that time stated that it was "not yet possible to determine whether the plan has been fully accepted and how it will be manifested," according to the NYT. Subsequent warnings in July from a veteran female analyst with Israel's signals intelligence agency reportedly matched the contents of 'Jericho Wall,' with Hamas using the same Quran quote during their training exercises. While the analyst acknowledged the growing military capabilities of Hamas, she did not suggest that an attack was imminent.
This revelation raises questions about the responsiveness of Israeli officials to intelligence warnings and underscores the complexities surrounding threat assessments, particularly when faced with evolving tactics employed by militant groups. The report also highlights the need for thorough analysis and consideration of intelligence inputs to prevent and mitigate potential security threats.
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