A letter written by Hamas leadership addressed to Hezbollah and IRGC senior leadership, discovered by Israeli intelligence following the assassination of Mohammed Sinwar, revealed that Hamas had believed that October 7 would be the end of the Jewish state.
Written by top Hamas leaders, the document provided insight into the mood leading up to the attack, the relationship between Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran, and the strategy Hamas believed would result in Israel's destruction.
This letter, composed by Hamas leaders Mohammed Deif, Yahya Sinwar, and Marwan Issa, was addressed to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and Saeed Izadi, commander of the Palestine Corps within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force.
It was found in a bunker used by Sinwar and Hamas’s military leadership, along with a significant amount of similar materials, including correspondence between Hamas officials and foreign entities.
The letter was likely sent on the morning of October 7, when Hamas forces began their assault on Israel. It offered an intimate and unique look at Hamas's mindset, its belief in the destruction of Israel, and the reasons that led to the fatal error of launching an uncoordinated attack.
In the document, the Hamas leaders apologized profusely to Nasrallah for not informing him in advance and begged him to join the war effort. They even outline how they envision Hezbollah joining and the continuation of the campaign until Israel is destroyed.
Details of the planned attack on Israel
The letter detailed the planned offensive: "When you read these words of ours, thousands of jihad fighters from the Al-Qassam Brigades will go out to attack targets of the criminal Zionist occupation, bomb enemy outposts, population centers, airports, and junctions in the southern region of occupied Palestine. They will breach the separation fence to confront and fight the occupation forces and take over military and civilian positions in the region, capturing large numbers of enemy soldiers."
The letter further accused Israel of intending to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque and build the Temple, citing biblical "red cows" brought into the area as proof.
It then continued with a review of Israel’s broader military actions and policies, including attacks on Syria and Iraq, as well as the assassination of key figures in Iran, citing these as evidence of the ongoing conflict.
Israeli cabinet’s decision on August 22
In the letter, the Hamas leaders outlined the reasons why Israel believed the October 7 attack was inevitable. The letter cited decisions from an Israeli cabinet meeting on August 22, noting that Israel aimed to avoid a regional war by launching separate campaigns against Palestinians, Syrians, Hezbollah, and Iran.
An analysis of Israeli intentions showed Israel's plan to strategically withdraw and fight separately to prevent uniting other regional forces against it. The concern over Israeli actions in Gaza is specifically mentioned as a cause for Hamas's counterattack.
Hamas leaders urged Nasrallah to act
The leaders then urged Nasrallah to take action, emphasizing the moral duty to defend Al-Aqsa and highlighting the urgency of the situation: "Today, Al-Aqsa and its defenders are calling on you, and so are the martyrs in Gaza, Syria, and Lebanon."
The letter ended with a stern warning that hesitation could lead to severe consequences, stressing that failing to act would cause the collapse of the "axis of resistance."
"This campaign will change the rules of the game,” they declared, outlining a vision for the downfall of Israel and the establishment of a new political order in the region.