Hamas Newspaper Hinted to October 7th Attack

They alluded to it in their newspaper on page 15.  Just one month before the October 7th massacre, Hamas’s official newspaper devoted extensive coverage to the refusal phenomenon in the IDF and its impact on military readiness. The Hamas reporters described how the Air Force suspended training due to the fight against judicial reform. Most disturbing quote: “The army’s condition is worse than described; reality will become clear in war.”

According to Arutz 14, in September 2023, just one month before the October 7th attack, Hamas’s official newspaper “Palestine” (Gaza) dedicated extensive coverage to the refusal crisis in the IDF and its impact on military readiness, under the headline: “Pilots Without Training: Israeli Concerns About Army and Unit Readiness.”

In the article, published on September 2, 2023, on page 15 of the newspaper, Hamas reporters described how reserve soldiers, particularly in the Air Force, suspended training and routine activities due to the fight against judicial reform.

“A significant portion of reserve pilots and commanders decided not to report for training in recent months,” the article noted, focusing on the implications of this refusal on the Air Force’s war readiness.

One of the most prominent and perhaps most disturbing quotes in the article emphasized that “almost everyone who declared stopping their military service has not returned to their duties. The Israeli army’s condition is worse than what appears to the public, and reality will only become clear in a real confrontation.”

According to the publication, this crisis was not limited to the Air Force but also affected other vital military units. The newspaper quoted Israeli military analysts’ assessments expressing concern about “severe damage to military readiness.” It was written that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi tried to hide the true situation from the Israeli public for fear of security and morale implications.

In conclusion, the coverage in Hamas’s Gaza newspaper emphasizes how the refusal phenomenon in the IDF was not just an internal Israeli matter, but also a factor with broad regional influence, which enemy states closely monitored and could potentially exploit to their advantage.

Hamas’s coverage of the dangerous refusal phenomenon proved to be a disturbing forecast of what was to come. The October 7th massacre occurred against the backdrop of these protests in Israel and the containment of this phenomenon in the IDF. The Air Force’s readiness for the attack will also need to be examined by the investigative committee that will be established.