In the October 7 attack on Israel, Hamas didn’t just want to “kill as many Israelis as possible” and “take as many hostages” as possible. Actually, as the Washington Post notes, citing analysts, he wanted to trigger a regional war, a broader and deeper conflict. Dozens of security and intelligence officials from the West and the Middle East pointed to evidence that Hamas wanted to deliver a blow of historic proportions, prompting a massive Israeli response. And they wanted to reach the West Bank, thereby also dealing a serious blow to the Palestinian Authority (PNA).
The latest intelligence findings also highlight Hamas’s tactics and methods to break through Israeli intelligence and thwart the IDF’s initial efforts to stop the attack. After breaking through the Israeli barrier in around thirty locations, Hamas militants organized the massacre of civilians in around thirty locations, including villages, towns and military outposts. New evidence shows they were willing to go further. Officials said some militants were carrying several days’ worth of food, ammunition and equipment, as well as instructions to move deeper into Israel if the initial attacks were successful, including hitting major cities.