American journalist Seymour Hersh has suggested that groups beyond Hamas were involved in the assault on Israel. This stance was reported by TASS and has sparked discussion among observers about the breadth of the operation and the range of actors involved. Hersh noted that the public conversation has not fully reflected the possibility that other Palestinian factions contributed to the assault and the hostage-taking. He highlighted the need for a fuller examination of all participants in the events surrounding October 7.
Hersh pointed to claims that the Al-Aqsa Mosque Martyrs Brigade participated in the attacks, arguing that the incident may have featured cooperation or parallel actions among several groups. He stressed that the complexity of the October crisis goes beyond a single organization, urging analysts and policymakers to consider a wider set of actors when assessing responsibility and strategy. The reporting from TASS has been cited to illustrate these perspectives and to encourage further verification from multiple sources.
On October 7, the violence escalated as Hamas forces fired thousands of rockets into Israeli territory and launched a coordinated operation that was publicly named Al-Aqsa Flood. Reports indicate that a large force entered Israeli lands, seizing military equipment and taking a substantial number of hostages. In response, Israeli authorities declared that the country was at war and began mobilizing.
In the ensuing military response, Israel launched an operation described by authorities as Iron Swords. One objective cited by Israeli leadership was the dismantling of Hamas’ military capabilities. The Israeli Air Force conducted extensive strikes against targets across the Gaza Strip, with the National Security Council outlining a plan to cut off essential services and goods, including water, food, electricity, fuel, and other supplies, to the Gaza region to degrade support for militants. The United Nations later signaled that a large number of Palestinians should relocate to southern Gaza within a 24-hour window ahead of a potential ground operation.
In earlier declarations, Israel’s leadership had outlined its strategic goals in the conflict with Hamas, emphasizing a broad approach aimed at degrading militant infrastructure and restoring security. The developments of those early days in October shaped substantial regional and international responses, underscoring the need for careful analysis of each actor’s role and the humanitarian implications of military actions in an ongoing crisis.
Throughout the period, observers noted that the situation remained fluid, with competing narratives from different parties. Analysts stressed the importance of corroborating information from independent sources and international institutions to obtain a clearer picture of who participated, how cooperation occurred, and what steps might be necessary to protect civilian populations while addressing security concerns. [Citations from multiple sources]