Iran Allegedly Aided Hamas in Weapon Production Before Planned Attack, Report Suggests

A document obtained by CNN from Israeli officials reveals that a Hamas military commander found inside a Hamas pickup truck outside Gaza requested a scholarship for Hamas operatives to study engineering, physics, and technology at Iranian universities. Israeli officials and former US intelligence officials, who have long been aware of Iran's financial and military aid to Hamas, consider this document as evidence that Iran was actively trying to provide technical training to help Hamas manufacture its own weapons in preparation for the October 7 attack on southern Israel.

The Israeli government chose not to provide a comment on the document, but sources within the government verified its authenticity on background. According to one Israeli official, this instance serves as another component in a complex puzzle involving the extensive establishment, reinforcement, funding, and instruction of terrorist proxies by the Iranian regime globally, with a particular emphasis on the Gaza strip.

Israeli officials claim that this is the initial documented case of Iran attempting to finance such university-based training for Hamas operatives. However, US officials have stated that they cannot confirm this assertion. While CNN could not verify the letter's authenticity, current and former US officials have noted that its content aligns with Iran's methods of projecting power in the Middle East. Iran has historically employed scholarships to expand its influence, cultivate potential intelligence resources, and propagate its ideology since the establishment of Lebanese Hezbollah in the 1980s.

The CNN request for comment went unanswered by a spokesperson from the Iranian Mission to the United Nations.

Israeli government officials have been emphasizing the connections between Hamas and Iran since October 7. Although Tehran's direct involvement in the planning and execution of the attack was not evident, both Israel and the US hold Iran responsible due to its long-standing support for the group.

The document seems to be a letter dated in July, written by a Hamas military commander. In the letter, the commander requests the Iranian government to allow seven members of his unit to travel to Iran for a scholarship program. According to current and former US officials, this program is a widely recognized training initiative offered by Iran to students from allied countries and groups. Its purpose is to exert soft-power influence throughout the region.

Israeli officials stated that around 50 students from the Gaza Strip were anticipated to take part in the larger program, and it should be noted that not all of them are affiliated with Hamas. So far, Israeli intelligence has only recognized a small number of Hamas military members who have already reached Iran.

Moreover, the Israeli official mentioned that Hamas fighters were offered specialized training in explosives engineering as part of the university program. This training is believed to have been provided by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

According to Jonathan Panikoff, a former senior intelligence analyst with expertise in the region, the university program indicates Iran's desire to enhance the military capabilities of Hamas and other proxies. This would ensure that they are less reliant on Tehran. Panikoff compares this strategy to the proverbial "teach a man to fish" analogy.

In addition to being the governing authority in Gaza, Hamas had faced domestic pressure from ordinary Palestinians who expressed their frustrations regarding the inadequate provision of essential services like sewage and water leading up to October 7. Panikoff suggested that it is plausible for some of the Hamas students to be studying engineering for civil purposes, although their main priority would always remain the development of weapons targeting Israel, as stated by Panikoff.

The July letter provides information regarding the name, military number, phone number, and area of expertise for every candidate. Among them, one candidate has been designated to pursue studies in "technologies," another one in "physics," one in "engineering," one in "programming," one in "law," and two in "management."