Hamas spent 7 years collecting data on Israel—including on child care centers—ahead of Oct 7 massacre

A new report revealed that Hamas terrorists spent seven years collecting intel on Israel before launching the Oct. 7 terror attack in 2023. This includes collecting information on guards, security cameras, and even a kindergarten classroom, according to an investigation by Israeli local media Channel 12.

The report detailed a sophisticated operation from Hamas operatives, where kibbutzims were spied on for a minimum of seven years prior to the attack, as evidenced in confiscated documents. According to the report, Hamas hacked IP addresses and serial numbers of all security cameras in the communities where the most severe atrocities took place, including an Israeli kindergarten facility and health clinic. Additionally, the report indicated that Hamas obtained the phone number of numerous security guards stationed at the border.

Hamas murdered over 1,200 Israeli men, women, and children in the 2023 terror attack. An additional 251 people were taken into Gaza as hostages, where dozens still remain.

The report included surveillance footage of communities along the border, which Hamas terrorists were able to monitor and eventually attack. According to Israeli officials, Hamas gained access to the cameras through the free circulation of access codes between individuals on Telegram and WhatsApp, making them ideal targets for hackers.

According to the report, the terror group also managed to hack security officials’ emails, which provided them with information about the weakest points of the border and helped them organized their attack on the area that was not heavily patrolled. Hamas even managed to follow the movements of senior security officers, including one who was killed on October 7.

The October 7 terror attack has been one of Israel’s greatest intelligence failures since the creation of the state. Reports have since suggested that there were warnings beforehand about the possibility of a massive attack carried out by Hamas. Several Israeli security leaders and ministers have resigned over the matter. However, responsibility has not been assigned to Israeli Prime Minister Benhamin Netanyahu and his political allies, who are currently facing immense political pressure over the war in Gaza and what led up to it.