Documents revealed by the Israeli broadcaster Kan suggest the IDF’s Gaza Division warned about the possibility of an attack less than three weeks before October 7.
Documents seen by the channel dated September 19 2023 suggest that the division had information that Hamas was training for a large-scale invasion of Israel and had plans to take hundreds of hostages.
On Monday the public broadcaster claimed a document titled “Detailed Training” was internally circulated on September 19 and was brought to the attention of at least some senior intelligence officials.
Kan did not give any more detail on which officials may have seen the document.
According to Kan, which cited unnamed security sources, the document suggested that some 200 to 250 hostages would be taken as part of the planned attack.
The document observed Hamas training patterns in the weeks before the attacks, detailing their daily routine: “11 a.m., several companies were observed gathering for prayer and lunch before the start of training. At noon, equipment and weapons are distributed to the fighters, after which a company headquarters drill takes place. At 2:00 p.m. the raid practice begins.”
The document reportedly also details how Hamas terrorists had plans to infiltrate IDF outposts on the border.
According to the documents, Hamas militants from its Nukhba force were instructed not to leave documents behind after they raided bases.
Instructions given to Hamas operatives included how to take hostages and make sure they had no phones or ways of communicating with family as well detailed maps of Israeli bases
The document reveals they were also told to threaten to kill hostages to deter them from escaping.
Kan claims that the document was brought to the attention of senior intelligence officials.
However, the government and top military leaders said they were not warned about an imminent planned invasion at the time.
According to Kan, a soldier involved in the report wrote after October 7: “I feel like crying, yelling and swearing,”
Kan said the IDF did not acknowledge the document, but said it was investigating the failures that led to October 7 and would present them “transparently to the public.”
