William Brangham:
On the morning of October 7, Hamas deployed a slew of techniques it had never used before, seemingly catching the nation of Israel completely by surprise.
It flew drones into Israel, dropping explosives onto Israeli surveillance towers. It used motorized paragliders to fly its soldiers from Gaza into Israel. It used heavy machinery to punch holes into barrier walls, through which armed attackers poured into Israel, charging into unsuspecting military outposts and kibbutzes, killing hundreds at random, and seizing hostages.
The attack was preceded by one thing Hamas was known for, launching a barrage of rockets from Gaza into Israel. In the days that followed October 7, there were reports that low-level analysts had reported seeing Hamas agents rehearsing some parts of this attack, but those warnings were dismissed.
But according to a new report from The New York Times, Israeli intelligence had obtained more than a year ago a 40-page document detailing virtually the exact attack plan that Hamas executed on October 7.
Reporter Adam Goldman is one of the journalists who broke this story.
Adam Goldman, thank you so much for being here.
You obtained this roughly 40 page document, which you report Israel had in its hands for more than a year. Israel even gave it a name, called it "Jericho Wall." This report circulated amongst leaders in Israel's intelligence services and the military. So, how is it that they seemed so unprepared when this plan actually was enacted?
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