• Israeli officials ignored warnings of an imminent Hamas attack.
• The New York Times revealed a document outlining the devastating invasion.
• Document detailed Hamas’ plan, including a rocket barrage and gunmen infiltration.

Israeli authorities possessed intelligence indicating that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was gearing up for a significant attack before its assault on October 7.

However, according to The New York Times report on Thursday, these warnings were disregarded by Israeli officials.

The newspaper said a document obtained by Israeli authorities “outlined, point by point, exactly the kind of devastating invasion that led to the deaths of about 1,200 people.”

The reviewed document, as per The New York Times, did not specify the timing of the attack but outlined a blueprint subsequently followed by Hamas.

This plan included an initial rocket barrage, efforts to disable surveillance, and waves of gunmen entering Israel by both land and air.

The document, containing sensitive security details about Israeli military capabilities and locations, circulated widely among military and intelligence leaders.

It remains unclear whether senior politicians reviewed it. Despite a military assessment last year suggesting the plan’s early stages, it was deemed premature to confirm Hamas approval.

Additionally, when a signals intelligence analyst warned of a training exercise aligning with the plan, her concerns were dismissed.

She warned it was a “plan designed to start a war,” the newspaper said, but a colonel reviewing her assessment suggested: “let’s wait patiently.”

The warnings did not indicate an imminent execution of the plan by Hamas, and the intelligence community maintained the belief that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was not actively seeking war with Israel, drawing parallels to intelligence failures in the United States prior to the September 11, 2001 attacks, as reported by The Times.

The Hamas attack resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people, primarily civilians, with approximately 240 individuals being taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

In response, Israel’s ground and air offensive in Gaza claimed the lives of over 15,000 people, predominantly civilians, as reported by Hamas authorities.

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