For the past two years, HAMAS refrained from launching attacks on Israeli territory.
According to Reuters, citing sources close to HAMAS, a prolonged period of preparation and a "deception campaign" allowed the militant group Hamas to catch the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) off guard.
"To mislead Israel, an unprecedented reconnaissance tactic was employed, creating an impression that HAMAS was not ready for combat or confrontation," said a source quoted by the news agency.
As explained by the Reuters source, the Palestinian group sought to persuade Israeli leadership that economic stability for the Gaza Strip was more crucial than escalation. After a flare-up in the conflict in 2021, Israel resumed granting work permits to Palestinians in the country.
"We believed that their coming to work and bringing money into Gaza would create a certain level of calm. But we were wrong," stated a source within the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
The HAMAS source added that the group refrained from attacks on Israeli territory and clashes with Israel for the past two years. Meanwhile, a source in the IDF also confirmed that the apparent calm led to the redeployment of forces from the Gaza Strip border to the West Bank.
To execute a successful attack, one representative of the Islamic group revealed that a model of one of the Israeli border settlements was constructed in the Gaza Strip, where militants rehearsed the attack plan.
"Israel, of course, saw this, but was convinced that Hamas was not interested in escalation," the source said.
Reuters also obtained details about the attack. According to an anonymous source within the group, following the launch of three thousand rockets into Israeli territory, militants infiltrated the country using hang gliders. Upon landing, they assessed the terrain, and then, using explosives, breached the fortifications. Bulldozers later cleared the obstacles, and individuals in vehicles joined the attack.
According to The New York Times, the operation was so meticulously planned that even U.S. intelligence was unaware of the impending assault.
