US intelligence reports had warned the Joe Biden administration of an escalating conflict between Palestine and Israel prior to the devastating attack by Hamas, which resulted in the death of over 1,300 Israelis, according to a report. The reports, from late September and early October, alerted US officials of the increasing risk of Hamas violence, including rocket attacks across the border. A day prior to the attack, US officials were made aware of unusual Hamas activity, indicating an imminent attack. On October 6, Hamas initiated a widespread assault on Israel, utilizing multiple approaches such as launching thousands of rockets from Gaza and infiltrating Israeli territories via land, sea, and air. The large-scale attack has resulted in numerous casualties, with at least 120 Israeli citizens being captured by Hamas and taken to Gaza. Disturbing images of bloodied hostages have emerged online. Intelligence sources claim that US intelligence failed to accurately predict the magnitude and brutality of the Hamas operation. It remains unclear whether these assessments were shared with Israel, which provides a significant amount of intelligence to the US. However, intelligence officials consistently highlight Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank as areas of concern in briefings to senior leaders. Over the past year, the US and its Middle Eastern allies have repeatedly warned of potential violence, but it is uncertain if these warnings were taken seriously by the US and Israel. Senior officials from Arab countries claim their warnings about rising Palestinian anger were ignored. In response to the attacks, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) has conducted targeted raids in Gaza to eliminate insurgents, weapons, and locate missing individuals. Israel has accused Hamas of taking hostages during the attacks. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes on the densely populated Gaza enclave have resulted in the deaths of at least 1,900 Gazans, including over 600 children.
Sun. Oct 13th, 2024
