A Memo in a Bunker, Intercepted Communications and Hamas’s Oct. 7 Plans

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1. Archive for no pay-wall: https://archive.md/qR8EL

   New NY Times report: After Israeli forces killed a senior Hamas commander Muhammed Sinwar in May, they searched the underground complex he had used and found an offline computer. On it, they discovered an image of a six-page handwritten memo dated August 24, 2022, which Israeli intelligence believes was written by Yahya Sinwar himself.

   The memo describes a plan for a surprise assault on Israel. It calls for using bulldozers to break through the border fence, sending waves of fighters into Israel, and targeting both soldiers and civilians. **It tells fighters to enter residential areas and set homes on fire “With gasoline or diesel from a tanker.” It also urges them to film their attacks and spread the footage quickly to create fear and inspire others to join the fight.**

   On October 7, 2023, Israeli intelligence also recorded hours of Hamas communications that closely matched the memo’s orders. Commanders were heard telling fighters to burn homes, kill everyone they encountered, slit throats, and take hostages. They also instructed militants to film the violence and broadcast it.

   Israeli officials say the memo and the intercepted recordings prove that Hamas intended to target civilians from the start, contradicting what the group’s leaders have claimed publicly. An intelligence report described the operation as one of “Extraordinary brutality.”

   Handwriting experts consulted by The New York Times said the script matches other known samples from Yahya Sinwar.

   Taken together, the memo and the intercepted communications provide a detailed look at Hamas’s planning and mindset before and during the assault. They reveal deliberate orders to commit acts of terror against civilians, to spread those acts through the media, and to try to spark a wider regional uprising.

   Personally, I cannot understand why the Israeli government do not classify October 7 as the genocide it was, and start pursuing international recognition for this crime committed by Hamas together with thousands of Palestinians “Civilians” on October 7.

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