Secret Operation Unveiled: Hamas Militants Trained in Plain Sight, Just Inches From Israel's Fortified Border!

The footage, dating back to the past two years, is eerily prophetic. It depicts Hamas fighters participating in an exercise that involves flooding a training area, firing rockets, and simulating the capture of prisoners amidst pseudo Israeli structures. CNN analysis reveals that this camp, recently built, was situated in close proximity to Erez Crossing. Alarmingly, it was through this crossing point that Hamas fighters, in a violent assault over the weekend, managed to breach, resulting in a devastating loss of over 1,200 lives in Israel.

Content of the rewritten

A previously recorded video, which is over a year old, depicts Hamas fighters engaging in activities such as take-offs, landings, and assaults using paragliders - the same unconventional method that Hamas successfully employed in the Oct. 7 attack.

In a thorough investigation, CNN analyzed nearly two years of training and propaganda videos released by Hamas and its affiliated groups. The investigation uncovered the extensive preparations carried out over several months leading up to the recent attack. It was discovered that militants underwent training for the assault at a minimum of six locations throughout Gaza.

The December video showcased an arid training site, along with two other sites, located slightly over a mile away from the heavily fortified and patrolled section of the Gaza-Israel border. Out of the remaining sites, one is situated in central Gaza, while the other three are located in the far south. CNN also analyzed two years' worth of satellite imagery, which revealed no signs of any Israeli military aggression targeting these six sites.

Not only has there been recent activity at the camps in the past few months, but over the last two years, some camps have also expanded to incorporate the surrounding farmland. This farmland, once used for agriculture, has now been transformed into a barren area specifically designated for training purposes. This transformation can be observed in the satellite imagery provided.

Medical personnel are assisting injured individuals as they are being transported to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Gaza, amidst the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip. The photograph was taken on October 11, 2023, by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu via Getty Images.

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In the wake of Hamas' brutal invasion, which involved the kidnapping of 150 individuals, the seizure of Israeli military installations, and the destruction of residential areas and agricultural lands, concerns are arising regarding the shortcomings in intelligence and operations within Israel's security apparatus.'

Why couldn't Israel, with its advanced military and spying capabilities, detect and prevent the October 7 attack, especially considering that Hamas had openly trained for it over a period of at least two years? CNN contacted the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for their response, and Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus, the international spokesperson, dismissed the findings as "nothing new."

Hamas has had numerous training areas, and Israel's military has targeted these areas in various escalations over the years. In the past two years, there haven't been any major escalations with Hamas, referring to the 2021 eruption of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. This eruption came after weeks of tension in Jerusalem, where a group of Palestinian families were facing eviction from their homes in East Jerusalem to accommodate Jewish nationalists.

Conricus further suggested that Hamas might have camouflaged the facilities to make them appear as civilian structures. Nonetheless, five out of the six locations, except for the landing strip, lack any characteristics typically associated with civilian infrastructure and exhibit a strikingly similar design and layout.

The camps are all encircled by towering earthen berms, surpassing the height of the buildings within. The majority of the buildings, lacking roofs, are constructed mainly with cinderblocks and cement.

While certain camps are equipped with gates and fences, others feature street curbs but lack paved roads.

The IDF declined to answer CNN's questions regarding the coordinates of the camps, citing the complexity of intelligence analysis during wartime. The IDF stated that this matter, along with other issues, will be investigated after the conclusion of the war.

In plain sight

In the aftermath of the attack on Saturday, Ali Baraka, a senior Hamas official and the leader of Hamas National Relations Abroad in Lebanon, informed RT Arabic that the extremist group had diligently been planning for this assault over a span of two years.

CNN's analysis of metadata reveals that Hamas conducted extensive trainings lasting several months, and in some cases, over a year, prior to the release of their propaganda montages on social media channels. Furthermore, these videos also serve as a precursor to the events that unfolded on October 7.

The paragliders were captured on video engaging in take-offs, landings, and assaults, indicating their training activities. The metadata of the video reveals that it was recorded over a year ago. Additionally, the positioning of the sun and shadows in the footage suggests that the training sessions lasted for several hours or occurred on multiple occasions.

On October 7, during the attack, the paragliders initiated their flight at dawn from training camps located near the Gaza-Israel border, which were pinpointed by CNN's geolocation efforts.

The videos reveal that the paragliders used the same take-off location that had previously been utilized to test Hamas' own unmanned aerial vehicles. Metadata suggests that these tests occurred several months before the paragliding sequences were recorded.

Furthermore, propaganda videos showcase Hamas terrorists engaging in practice sessions with the exact weapons they intended to employ during the October 7 attack. These individuals erected simulated Israeli structures and streets, demonstrating numerous assault tactics on this mock environment.

Located at a training facility situated several hundred feet away from the Erez Crossing, there is a building adorned with a mural depicting two palm trees and a stylized animal figure resembling the insignia of Israel's Erez Crossing battalions.

The video footage reveals their rigorous training sessions, showcasing their proficiency in capturing and restraining individuals by effectively using zip ties at the camp.

The camp was built in the past 18 months based on satellite imagery.

At three of the training camps, fake Israeli tanks were also constructed. These tanks consist of a truck surrounded by a large outer shell. Here, fighters can be observed honing their skills by launching RPGs and other explosives during attack drills.