Hamas taken aback by unexpectedly successful two-year attack on Israel.
Last weekend’s devastating attack on southern Israel was two years in the making, according to a senior Hamas official, who admitted the terrorist group was surprised by how successful it had been.
The official, Ali Baraka, also acknowledged that Hamas kept itself out of recent skirmishes led by other Gaza-based terror groups in order to convince Israel it was more focused on aiding Palestinians.
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“In the past couple of years, Hamas has adopted a ‘rational’ approach. It did not go into any war, and did not join the Islamic Jihad in its recent battle,” Baraka said in an interview that ran on Russia Today and was translated by Memri. “We made them think that Hamas was busy with governing Gaza, and that it wanted to focus on the 2.5 million Palestinians there, and has abandoned the resistance altogether. All the while, under the table, Hamas was preparing for this big attack.
“We have been preparing for this for two years,” he added. “In order to keep the attack secret and successful, the different factions and our allies did not know the zero hour.”
Baraka, who is based in Lebanon, also acknowledged in an interview with the Associated Press, “We were surprised by this great collapse,” and added, “We were planning to make some gains and take prisoners to exchange them. This army was a paper tiger.”
Similarly, a diplomatic source in the region told Al-Monitor, “Their success surprised them, too,” and noted, “They hoped to kill some Israelis, embarrass the IDF, and return to Gaza with two or three kidnapped Israelis. Instead, they roamed inside Israel for more than a day, killing over a thousand Israelis and getting stuck with something like 200 abductees.
“They are very worried” following the successful attacks, the diplomatic source added. “With two abductees, they could have negotiated with Israel for permission to build a seaport and freedom for hundreds of prisoners held in Israeli jails. With more than 100 abductees, they will face the entire Israeli army inside Gaza. That’s the tragedy of their success.”
Mohammed Deif is one of the masterminds in this week’s attacks, which he named Al Aqsa Flood, according to Reuters. He reportedly began planning the attacks in 2021 during a flare-up in Israel between Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis due to fighting outside the Al-Aqsa mosque, which is the third holiest site in the Islamic faith.
Israeli police put up barriers at a walled Old City gate, which they said was to maintain order. Palestinians said the barriers restricted their freedom to assemble during the holy month of Ramadan. Between that and the planned evictions of several Palestinian families living in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem, tensions were high, and it ultimately led to 11 days of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
“Today the rage of Al Aqsa, the rage of our people and nation is exploding. Our mujahedeen (fighters), today is your day to make this criminal understand that his time has ended,” Deif said in a recording that was broadcast on Saturday as the attack began.
He has reportedly survived multiple assassination attempts by Israeli forces, having lost an eye and sustained serious injuries to one leg. His wife and two children were killed in one of those attempts back in 2014. There are reports that he lost more family members in airstrikes this week, according to the Times of Israel.
The United States State Department designated Deif, the leader of Hamas’s military wing, Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, a terrorist in 2015. The department said at the time that he was known for “deploying suicide bombers and directing the kidnapping of Israeli soldiers” and noted that he led the group’s offensive strategy during the 2014 war.
“It was triggered by scenes and footage of Israel storming Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, beating worshippers, attacking them, dragging elderly and young men out of the mosque,” a source in Gaza told Reuters. “All this fueled and ignited the anger.”
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The attacks last weekend resulted in the deaths of more than 1,200 people, about 1,000 of whom were civilians.
The perpetrators of the attacks also kidnapped between 100 and 150 people and brought them back to Gaza. Their state and well-being are unknown. A Hamas spokesperson threatened to execute the hostages and broadcast it if Israel didn’t end its retaliatory strikes.
How did the clashes at the mosque lead to the exploitation of tensions by Hamas’ military wing?
And pray at the mosque. This led to clashes between Palestinian protesters and Israeli security forces. Deif, who is the head of Hamas’ military wing, saw an opportunity to exploit the tensions and initiate a major attack on Israel.
The attacks last weekend involved multiple simultaneous assaults on Israeli military outposts and civilian areas near the Gaza border. The attackers used a combination of gunfire, explosives, and rocket attacks to overwhelm Israeli defenses. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) responded with airstrikes and ground operations to neutralize the threat.
The senior Hamas official, Ali Baraka, admitted that the success of the attacks took them by surprise. For the past two years, Hamas had been planning and preparing for this moment while keeping a low profile to convince Israel that it was more focused on governing Gaza and helping Palestinians. This strategy allowed Hamas to operate discreetly and catch Israel off guard.
In the aftermath of the attacks, Hamas had hoped to secure Israeli prisoners to use as bargaining chips for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. However, the extent of their success proved to be their downfall. Instead of a few hostages, they ended up with over 100 abductees and faced the full force of the Israeli army within Gaza. The initial intentions of gaining leverage and negotiating for concessions were now overshadowed by the dire consequences they had brought upon themselves.
Mohammed Deif, one of the masterminds behind the attacks, had been planning them since 2021. The flare-up between Arab Israelis and Jewish Israelis during clashes outside the Al-Aqsa mosque provided the catalyst for his actions. Deif saw an opportunity to exploit the existing tensions and escalate the conflict to a new level.
The attacks, which Deif named Al Aqsa Flood, aimed to inflict casualties on Israeli civilians, embarrass the IDF, and potentially secure the release of Palestinian prisoners. However, the scale and severity of the attacks far surpassed their expectations. Over a thousand Israelis were killed, and the IDF responded with forceful measures to prevent further harm.
The success of these attacks has raised concerns among Hamas and its allies. They find themselves in a precarious position, facing the wrath of the Israeli army and complicated negotiations to secure the release of their prisoners. What they had hoped would be a strategic victory turned into a tragic situation that threatens to further escalate the conflict.
The events of last weekend serve as a sobering reminder of the ongoing tensions and volatility in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. While Hamas may celebrate their momentary success, the devastating consequences and long-term implications of their actions cannot be ignored. The international community must continue to work towards a peaceful and sustainable resolution that addresses the underlying issues fuelling the cycle of violence in the region.
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