ALBAWABA - Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant revealed what he called a "dangerous and revealing" paper purportedly authored by the late Hamas commander Yahya Sinwar in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to reports, the June 2021 letter, which was sent to Iran's Quds Force commander and top Hamas military officers, indicated early preparations for the October 7, 2023, assault on Israel.
Gallant claims that the paper was sent to Esmail Qaani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, Muhammad Deif, who leads Hamas's military arm, the Qassam Brigades, along with his deputy Marwan Issa.
A $500 million appeal for Iranian assistance to finance long-term activities was contained in the letter, which was purportedly made soon after the May 2021 Gaza-Israel confrontation ("Operation Guardian of the Walls"). With money to be provided in $20 million monthly increments over 24 months, it laid forth a strategy to destabilize Israel in two years via a succession of increasingly drastic measures.
"With God willing, we will uproot this vicious entity and end this dark chapter of our nation's history within these two years," the message said.
Gallant underlined the letter's strategic significance, stating that it shows not just Iranian financial backing but also a distinct planning alignment between Tehran and Hamas. He went on to say that the two-year timetable provided in the text roughly reflects the October 2023 assault date, which was two years and four months later.
Gallant said that there is further evidence that Iran, although not knowing the precise time of the October 7 attack, was not only a backer but also a strategic collaborator in its preparation.
