New York Times report says Israel knew about Hamas attack over a year in advance

By JULIA FRANKEL
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — The New York Times is reporting that Israel knew about Hamas battle plans to attack southern Israel over a year before the Oct. 7 operation took place, but dismissed them as “aspirational.” The Times said Friday that Israeli officials were in possession of a 40-page battle plan, code-named “Jericho Wall,” that detailed a hypothetical Hamas attack on southern Israeli communities. The document outlined many of the tactics used by Hamas in the deadly cross-border attack that triggered Israel’s current war against the Islamic militant group. The army declined to comment on the report, saying it is focused on defeating Hamas and would investigate the allegations after the war.