An unearthed 'operational document,' which was discovered on the body of a deceased Hamas operative, sheds light on Hamas's long-standing plans to deliberately target and take civilians, hostage. These revelations starkly contradict Hamas's claims of unintentional civilian casualties in the wake of their attack on Israel on October 7.
Hamas has sought to depict the civilian casualties resulting from their attacks as accidental, asserting that the so-called "Palestinian freedom fighters" never intended to harm civilians. This claim was made in a statement released by Hamas on Wednesday. However, recent evidence obtained from the bodies of deceased Hamas operatives suggests a different narrative, revealing that Hamas had plans to take civilians hostage as early as October 2022.
This purported 14-page 'operational document' was found on the body of a Hamas operative within a pickup truck by first responders. It has been shared online by South First Responders, a group of first responders actively sharing evidence and footage related to the attack.
The document, classified as "Top Secret," unveils a "raid plan" focused on targeting the Kibbutz. This plan, designated as phase A of the attack, outlines the composition of the operation, involving a commander and two squads, each comprising five attackers. Furthermore, it encompasses an operational schedule for command and control, revealing the ID numbers of Hamas commanders. This information provides insight into the meticulous planning and coordination behind the attack.
Within this document, specific "tasks" are outlined for what is referred to as the "basic force." Point 7 of these tasks explicitly assigns this force the duty of "taking prisoner soldiers, residents, and taking hostages for negotiations."
The document also labels the raid on Mefalsim as "B14" and provides details on how the attackers were supposed to "create an opening" in the fence. Another team was tasked with providing "artillery" support. The document also addresses the Israeli presence in Mefalsim, acknowledging the presence of approximately "1,000 civilians." This level of detail underscores the intentions and planning behind the attack.
The document indicates that Hamas not only contemplated the initial Israeli response but also likely had contingency plans in place. It mentions the potential arrival of additional Israeli forces from "Nahal Oz" within 3-5 minutes, arriving from "Outpost 16" along road 232 in 2-3 jeeps.
In the face of mounting global criticism over civilian casualties, Hamas's leadership attempted to disassociate itself from these events. Saleh Al-Arouri, the Deputy of Hamas's political bureau, issued a statement through Al-Jazeera on Thursday, asserting that the civilian casualties in Israel resulted from confrontations between civilians who had crossed the Gaza borders following the attack on Saturday. He falsely claimed that Hamas had issued clear instructions to freedom fighters not to harm children and women, a claim contradicted by numerous reports of brutality against these vulnerable groups.
The Israeli government, in response, published pictures on Thursday suggesting that children were indeed targeted during the raids.
Basem Naim, a former Hamas government minister, declared that hostages taken back into Gaza would be treated according to religious values and international laws. He added that Hamas would not consider releasing the captives until Israel ceased its bombardment. Presently, it is estimated that around 150 hostages are under Hamas's custody.
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