Harrowing Footage Reveals Start of Hamas Massacre in Israel and Secret Gaza Tunnels

At the break of dawn on October 7, on the eastern border of Gaza, a cluster of Hamas fighters eagerly await their next move. With some crowded into a white pickup truck and others mounted on motorbikes, they meticulously perform last-minute inspections, ensuring their cameras are rolling and their weapons primed. As an explosion reverberates from afar, it serves as their cue to advance.

As they hurry towards the border, the men vociferate "Allahu Akbar," an Arabic phrase signifying "God is great."

Following a brief three-minute drive, they successfully traverse the initial border fence that delineates Gaza from Israel. The fence appears warped, featuring a sizable gap through which they navigate, albeit uncertain whether it resulted from the preceding explosion.

Video footage of the attack was provided to CNN by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), providing new insights into a section of the Hamas operation that originated from Gaza's eastern border. The recording originates from a terrorist's body camera, capturing their involvement in the assault. With the intention of depicting the actual events of October 7, the IDF released this video, drawing comparisons to the tragic events of 9/11. On that day, Hamas conducted a brutal assault inside Israel, resulting in the loss of approximately 1,200 lives and the capture of over 200 individuals.

Footage provided to CNN by the IDF shows a tunnel in Gaza.

Hamas video provided by Israel Defense Forces

This is the first time that Israel has publicly released footage of Hamas tunnels in Gaza that were allegedly used during the attack. It is unclear if the cameraperson in the underground clip is the same person, but the video shows a larger room that serves as a junction leading to a series of narrower tunnels. Wires can be seen running along the shafts, but there is no visible overhead lighting. The only source of brightness comes from a flashlight. On the floor, there are some supplies and several blue barrels. At a certain point, the individuals underground shine the flashlight into a deep vertical shaft with a ladder attached to one side. The concrete walls bear red spray-painted writing, with one sign stating, "What is hidden is much worse."

The video footage captures the entire 100-minute attack, starting from before the assault and ending when the camera stops. CNN has verified the locations shown in the footage through geolocation, confirming their consistency with other footage from the attack.

As the group moves past the initial border fence, the cameraman, who is one of the gunmen, consistently shouts, "Go right!" This suggests a high level of planning and coordination by Hamas, as they orchestrated a multi-pronged assault across the Gaza border.

Within a duration of less than two minutes, the militants successfully breach the second security fence, thereby entering Israeli territory. Their destination is a kibbutz, and they rapidly traverse the dirt roads nestled amidst cultivated fields, closely accompanied by a convoy of motorbikes. A notable number of the individuals among them are armed with AK-47 rifles, while others skillfully carry rocket-propelled grenades slung across their shoulders.

offers a fresh perspective on a segment of the Hamas attack carried out along the eastern border of Gaza, as shared with CNN by the Israel Defense Forces.

At the 17-minute mark of the video, the pickup truck comes to a halt as the gunman starts shooting for the first time, aiming across an open field where Israeli buildings can be seen in the distance. It remains uncertain whether he successfully hits anything. There is a brief pause in the group's activity as they regather. One member advises against aimlessly firing into the sky and wasting ammunition.

At a particular moment, the group expresses gratitude to God for bringing them this far while pondering the whereabouts of Israeli soldiers. Up until now, their progress has faced next to no hindrance as they navigate through Israeli territory.

Hamas video provided by Israel Defense Forces

Exclusive footage reveals the initial stages of a harrowing Hamas attack in Israel, shedding light on the underground tunnel system concealed beneath Gaza. In the vicinity of Kissufim, an armed individual equipped with a bodycam disembarks from a vehicle and proceeds across the open field alongside fellow militants. The recording captures his swift movement past a comrade preparing a rocket-propelled grenade, while maintaining a vigilant stance to protect one another during their relentless advance, intermittently engaging in offensive gunfire.

The video depicts the gunman wearing a bodycam, sprinting towards an Israeli soldier lying on the ground. From a very close distance, he mercilessly fires multiple shots, resulting in the soldier's death.

Upon the arrival of additional militants, the gunman seizes the Tavor rifle belonging to the Israeli soldier. In a narcissistic act, he switches on the bodycam and records a selfie video of himself. He jubilantly cheers alongside the others who have joined in the celebration.

Moments thereafter, his demeanor becomes more collected as he addresses the camera affixed to his headgear. Identifying himself by name, he discloses his age of 24. As a father, he remorselessly admits to having taken the lives of two Israeli soldiers. Beseeching God for triumph and an honorable destiny as a martyr, he expresses his fervent desire.

Hamas video provided by Israel Defense Forces

From here, the group advances on motorbikes, speeding along nearly empty Israeli roads.

The gunman expresses delight as he moves past the bodies of Israelis strewn across the street. Prior to his arrival, other terrorists had already reached this location. Making a turn on his motorcycle, he reaches a bus stop that CNN had previously observed in one of the initial videos released on the day of the attack.

This particular video showcases dashcam footage filmed from an Israeli vehicle attempting to escape rocket fire at the nearby Nova music festival. As the car approaches a group of militants, they initiate gunfire. The bullets pierce through the glass, causing the windshield to shatter. The car continues down the road, with the high probability that the driver was fatally wounded by the barrage of bullets. The timestamp displayed on the video indicates that it is shortly after 7:40 AM.

It also shows the moment when the gunman with the bodycam arrives at the scene, because the car with the dashcam is visible in his video.

On October 10, 2023, Israeli forces are seen patrolling areas along the Israeli-Gaza border amidst ongoing clashes with Islamist Hamas militants. The photograph captures the scene, courtesy of Ilia Yefimovich/picture alliance via Getty Images.

Volunteer guards successfully thwarted a meticulously planned Hamas assault on a kibbutz, preventing its execution.

For a span of 65 minutes following their infiltration across the Gaza fence, the armed assailant wearing a body camera, accompanied by his group, operated without hindrance on Israeli soil. They brazenly traversed roads and fields, covering a distance of approximately 10 miles, bypassing the towns of Ein HaShlosha and Kisufim.

The group now nears a military base adjacent to the kibbutz of Reim. The assailant advances, shooting from the firearm seized from the Israeli soldier, steadily making his way towards the gate.

In retaliation, an individual stationed at the base returns fire.

The man lets out a scream upon impact, collapsing to the ground next to the weapon. The camera sways slightly in a back and forth motion, capturing his rapid, shallow breaths.

This marks the conclusion of his involvement in the assault. Nonetheless, the horror from the October 7 attacks would persist for several more hours.