Hamas terrorists managed to disable Merkava Mark 4 tanks in the Gaza border area using a secret button usually known only to armored crews, reporter Doron Kadosh revealed on IDF Radio.
The ability to obtain such sensitive information raised questions immediately after the attack, and the investigation found that it was an intelligence achievement built over years.
According to the report, at the beginning of 2024, during IDF operations in the massive tunnel known as “the Pentagon” in the central camps, documents and findings were discovered that explained how the terror organization obtained detailed knowledge of the tank’s systems. According to the findings, Hamas gathered intelligence on Merkava Mark 4 tanks over a long period, relying on footage posted on social media by soldiers.
The information collection included tracking tens of thousands of soldiers, continuous analysis of photos and videos, as well as materials filmed in outposts, training bases, and at the Shizafon tanks' base in the Negev - including instructional videos of soldiers demonstrating procedures inside the tank. Some of the footage was considered harmless at the time, but Hamas managed to piece it together into a full and accurate intelligence picture of the armored systems.
Based on the collected information, Hamas built an extensive training program for Nukhba terrorists. The dedicated force was trained as “tank crewmen,” used full-size models of Merkava tanks, and operated an advanced simulator that replicated the operation of a real tank. According to the investigation’s findings, the plan also included an ambitious goal: seizing tanks in the Gaza envelope and driving them into Gaza for use in combat against IDF forces.
The investigation shows that although the takeover plan was not actually carried out during the attack, the tanks that were disabled through activation of the secret button could not participate in the fighting. Findings recovered from terrorists who were killed or captured, as well as additional material uncovered in Gaza later in the war, highlighted how exposed the forces were: Hamas knew internal gate codes at outposts, critical technical details of the tanks, and weak points in the security barrier. A significant part of this knowledge was obtained due to a lack of proper information security on social media.