Hamas Ordered to Kill as Many People as Possible, Specific Focus on Schools
- Milton Quintanilla Crosswalk Headlines Contributor
- Updated Oct 16, 2023
According to newly uncovered documents, Hamas was ordered to kill as many people as possible during its attack on October 7, which resulted in more than 1,300 dead.
The documents, which were discovered from the bodies of dead militants at the site of the attacks, found that the attacks had a central objective rather than a byproduct of military action, as noted by Israeli officials. The documents also had a specific focus on elementary schools and youth centers as part of the attack.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, one set of the written orders targeted the farming community of Alumim, directing militants to “achieve the highest level of human losses,” while another set of orders centered on Sa’ad, a 670-person collective farming community, with the directive to “take control of the kibbutz, kill as many individuals as possible, and capture hostages.”
According to The Christian Post, there were specific plans to attack communities like Kfar Aza and Nahal Oz, which included points of entry and modes of transportation for the terrorists. For example, one unit was assigned to “contain the new Da’at school,” while another was to “collect hostages” and “search the Bnei Akiva youth center.”
The attack that took place last weekend had undergone a public dress rehearsal by Hamas, based on a propaganda video the group posted on social media on September 12, The Hill reported.
In the video, fighters were shown breaching a replica of the Gaza-Israel border gate with explosives and going through a mock-up of an Israeli town. As noted by The Hill, the attacks took place by land, air, and sea, targeting multiple towns and military posts near the border.
According to Bradley Bowman, a former U.S. Army officer and now senior director at the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, the attacks are deemed a significant security and intelligence failure for Israel, adding that there were signs in which the attacks could have been prevented.
Despite Hamas’ statements stating that women and children would not be targeted, the documents found by the Israeli Defense Forces and local communities said otherwise.
Israeli officials noted that Hamas acquired a significant amount of intelligence about its targets, including aerial views of communities and detailed attack plans outlining local security arrangements, such as Sa’ad’s volunteer guard force, which could be reinforced by Israeli army units.
One attack plan also included leading hostages into community dining halls and executed in the town of Be’eri, which Israeli troops later rescued the hostages.
The attack carried out by Hamas on October 7 killed at least 1,300 people in Israel, including 29 Americans and others taken hostage. Meanwhile, the Hamas health ministry revealed that 2,450 people have been killed in Gaza,
Photo Courtesy: ©Getty Images/Amir Levy / Stringer
