Revealed: Hamas planned 9/11-style attack on Israel before settling for Oct 7 ambush

Hamas had originally planned a 9/11-style attack on Israel during the October 7 ambush, according to the documents related to theGaza-based militant outfit accessed byIsrael Defence Forces (IDF) and published by Western media outlets.

With Iran and Hezbollah's backing, Hamas had planned to target the Azrieli Towers in Tel Aviv, which houses a shopping mall and a major train station.The documents state that the plan would have mirrored the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York's World Trade Center.

The militant body wanted to flatten the towers, causing mass casualties and economic devastation.However, the plan was dropped after extensive discussions made Hamas realisethat they lacked the operational capabilities to undertake such a large-scale bombing.

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Hamas planned attack in 2022

While the October 7 attack took place in 2023, the planning had been in the works for years, with Hamas initially hoping to conduct its strikes in the fall of 2022. Referred to in internal communications as "the big project", Hamas' intention from the beginning was to cripple Israel's military infrastructure and cause significant civilian casualties.

It had to delay the attack as Iran and Hezbollah needed to come on board. According to the documents, the now-Hamas chief, Yahya Sinwarwrote to his Iranian masters in 2021 and requested funding.

"We promise you that we will not waste a minute or a penny unless it takes us toward achieving this sacred goal," wrote Sinwar.

Alongside Sinwar, it wasMuhammed Deif, Marwan Issa, and his brother, Muhammad Sinwar that oversaw the entire operation.

The request led to an initial $10 million in funding, with the Palestinian outfit hoping for an additional $500 million to be distributed over two years.

The documents also highlighted that Hamas deliberately avoidedconfrontations with Israel for two years from 2021so that it could maximise the surprise of the October 7 attack.

However, after Iran and Hezbollah did not expand their participation in Hamas' operation, the outfitlaunched the attack on its own. It remains unclear why Hamas hurried the process, but a simple reading of the geopolitical factors suggests that the Palestinian outfit reached a stage where delaying the trigger would have meant reducing the impact of the operation.

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Notably, by mid-2023, Israel was on the verge of deploying a new, advanced air defence system, which Hamas feared could thwart their assault if they delayed any further. Additionally, Israel's growing bonhomie with Saudi Arabia could have altered the regional map, and thus, October 7 was chosen as the day to unleash Hamas militants on Israeli soil via paragliders.

The brutality of the Hamas assault left more than 1,200 people dead while hundreds were taken hostage. Asignificant number still remain in captivity as Hamas uses them as leverage against Israel. Meanwhile, the region has slipped into volatility and stares at an all-out war.

(With inputs from agencies)