Captured documents reveal Hamas’s broader ambitions to attack Israel

Among the plans was a proposal for a 9/11-style destruction of Tel Aviv’s skyscrapers, targeting the Moshe Aviv Tower and the Azrieli Centre complex.

Hamas has declined to comment on the specifics, maintaining that Israel has a history of fabricating evidence. (File Photo)

In a recent investigation by The Washington Post, seized documents from Hamas command centres in Gaza have unveiled a more expansive and deadly plan to attack Israel. These records, obtained by Israeli forces, outline detailed strategies that were in motion long before the October 7, 2023 assault.

Among the plans was a proposal for a 9/11-style destruction of Tel Aviv’s skyscrapers, targeting the Moshe Aviv Tower and the Azrieli Centre complex. Hamas also envisioned attacks using railways, boats, and even horse-drawn chariots. While some of these ideas were impractical, they underscore Hamas’s determination to draw in allied militant groups for a coordinated assault from all directions.

Letters from 2021 reveal that Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, sought hundreds of millions of dollars from Iran to fund 12,000 additional fighters, vowing to “destroy Israel completely.”

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Israeli officials believe this effort was part of a broader push to involve Iran directly, though Tehran had historically avoided direct military confrontation with Israel. Despite this, it is believed that Iran significantly increased its financial and military support to Hamas in 2023.

One Israeli security official claimed Hamas was so intent on annihilating Israel that it dragged Iran into the conflict, despite Tehran’s reluctance. The captured documents, including a 36-page presentation, provide insights into Hamas’s strategic planning, which combined both low-tech and advanced tactics.

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However, some plans, like toppling a skyscraper, lacked practical details, with one document admitting they were still “working to find a mechanism to destroy the tower.”

The Washington Post reports that Israeli intelligence obtained these documents after launching its ground invasion of Gaza, adding that while the authenticity of the papers is difficult to verify fully, the contents align with intelligence assessments following the October 7 attack. Iran, however, has denied involvement, with its officials labelling the documents as part of an Israeli disinformation campaign.

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Hamas has declined to comment on the specifics, maintaining that Israel has a history of fabricating evidence. However, Israeli and US intelligence officials believe that while Iran may not have known about the precise timing of the October 7 assault, it was aware of Hamas’s general preparations for a major attack.

This trove of documents offers a sobering glimpse into the long-term ambitions of Hamas and its efforts to turn regional allies, including Iran and Hezbollah, into participants in an all-out war against Israel.

(with inputs from The Washington Post)

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