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Hamas Delayed October 7, 2023 Attack to Enlist Iran, Hezbollah Support, Documents Reveal

Oct 12, 2024, 10:22 PM

Secret documents reviewed by The New York Times reveal that Hamas initially planned its attack on Israel for the fall of 2022, code-named 'the big project.' However, the group postponed the operation for nearly a year to seek support from Iran and Hezbollah. The documents include minutes from ten high-level meetings among Hamas leaders, indicating that they avoided major escalations with Israel from 2021 to 2023 to maintain the element of surprise for the October 7, 2023 attack. In July 2023, a senior Hamas official reportedly met with an Iranian commander in Lebanon to request assistance for the impending assault. The documents suggest that Iran was aware of Hamas's plans and welcomed them, contradicting previous claims from Iranian officials. Israeli forces captured these documents during operations in Khan Younis, providing detailed insights into Hamas's strategic planning and its attempts to coordinate with Iranian and Hezbollah forces for a broader offensive against Israel.