Hamas Prepared for Surprise Attack on Israel Since 2022: Haaretz

The radical Hamas movement began preparing for a large-scale attack on Israel in 2022, with its fighters ready for new offensive operations, according to Haaretz, citing a representative of the group’s military wing, Abu Obeida.

“The organization started preparing for the surprise attack that took place on October 7 this week as early as 2022,” the publication quotes his words.

Obeida stated that Hamas managed to secretly prepare 4,500 fighters for this operation, as well as disable cameras used by Israeli troops near the Gaza Strip. The movement has also taken actions in cyberspace and launched thousands of rockets into Israeli territory.

He noted that Hamas is now prepared for any scenario, including a ground operation by Israel. “We will carry out new operations that will bring even greater losses to the enemy,” he stated.