Israeli intelligence officials knew of Hamas' plan for the October 7 massacre over a year before it happened, The New York Times reported.
An investigation by NYT's Ronen Bergman and Adam Goldman showed that Israeli officials had obtained Hamas' battle plan for the attack, and held a document approximately 40 pages in length, codenamed the "Wall of Jericho," which outlined, in detail, the invasion which on October 7a led to the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of around 240.
The document did not specify a date, but it did include details of "a methodical assault designed to overwhelm the fortifications around the Gaza Strip, take over Israeli cities and storm key military bases, including a division headquarters," the NYT reported.
"Hamas followed the blueprint with shocking precision," the report added. "The document called for a barrage of rockets at the outset of the attack, drones to knock out the security cameras and automated machine guns along the border, and gunmen to pour into Israel en masse in paragliders, on motorcycles and on foot — all of which happened on Oct. 7."
The plan also included details about IDF forces' locations and other sensitive information, raising questions on how the information was obtained.
It is not clear whether the document, which is widely circulated among IDF and intelligence officials, reached the hands of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or other political leaders.
Officials in the IDF's Gaza Division, however, did see the document, but said that it is "not yet possible" to know whether the plan was accepted or how it will play out.
One of the plan's most important goals was to overtake the IDF base in Re'im, where the Gaza Division sits. Other bases targeted on October 7 were also listed in the plan.
The Times noted that a 2016 memo said that Hamas had sophisticated weapons, drones, and GPS jammers. The document also said that Hamas had a military of 27,000 people, representing an increase of 6,000 over the course of two years, and that the terror group aimed to reach 40,000 by 2020.
Both the IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) declined to comment to the NYT.