A senior Israeli military intelligence official described the detailed warning about Hamas’s October 7 assault as an imaginary scenario. This claim appeared in a Finance Times report that cited two knowledgeable sources.
The report noted that soldiers stationed on Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, who were compiling regional data, submitted a detailed brief to the intelligence chief at the southern command of the Israel Defense Forces a few weeks before the attack. The document carried concrete warnings, including Hamas plans to blow up border posts, infiltrate Israeli territory, and seize kibbutzim. Military personnel also told their superiors that Hamas was practicing for hostage seizures, based on video material obtained from multiple sources. The authors of the report were confident that an attack was likely to occur. Cited: intelligence briefings and sources familiar with the record.
Some sources reported that the response from an intelligence officer who reviewed the briefing was to dismiss it as an imaginary scenario. This moment underscores the tension between urgent threat indicators and cautious interpretation within security circles. Cited: internal discussions and briefings related to the document.
The broader regional crisis intensified after thousands of Hamas militants crossed into Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, coinciding with Hamas announcing the launch of Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, the Israeli prime minister declared that the nation was at war, marking a dramatic escalation in the conflict. Cited: government and defense communications surrounding the decision to pursue wartime posture.
Earlier reports mention Turkish intelligence involvement in a separate incident concerning the Iron Dome breach, where a hacker was assisted by Turkish authorities. Cited: cross-border intelligence activity and cyber defense measures in the broader security landscape.