The war between Israel and Hamas: Hamas attack frame by frame through revealing images

The modus operandi of Hamas militants at the beginning of Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against Israel is analyzed by Le Monde, using numerous photos and videos.

The sun had not yet risen in Gaza when Hamas launched Operation Al-Aqsa Storm a week ago, on the morning of Saturday, October 7.

Dozens of armed Palestinians advanced towards the Israeli border in cars, motorcycles or on foot.

Once across the border, they simultaneously attacked at least six Israeli military bases and seven civilian areas, including a city, five kibbutzim and a music festival.

The border between the Gaza Strip and Israel consists of either a high fence or a concrete wall. To cross it, they had to neutralize its defensive positions, the towers equipped with remote-controlled machine guns. Of the five pictures taken by Hamas militants, four were destroyed by an explosive device dropped by a drone.

They crossed the border by car, motorcycle or on foot

Again, using drones, they targeted communications infrastructure, such as a tower near Kibbutz Be’eri.

However, what highlights the crime is the coordination of multiple actions at the crossing points on the fence. Violations are carried out using explosive devices, as is the case near Kibbutz Be’eri. A satellite image taken at the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip shows a breach in the concrete wall separating it from Israel, and destruction in two parts.

Pictures published by Hamas showed gunmen manning checkpoints amid the bodies of Israeli soldiers, Hamas men on motorcycles driving their cars through holes in the fence, and bulldozers ripping apart barbed wire to allow gunmen to pass.

According to the photos, at least 12 commando teams entered Israeli territory before 7 a.m., and less than an hour later, a motorcycle squad moved out. Less than an hour later, they simultaneously launched at least thirteen attacks on military camps and civilian areas.

The Israeli soldiers were surprised

At least six permanent IDF military installations were attacked at the same time, between approximately 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m

Hamas militants armed with grenades, rocket launchers and rifles enter the bases. They kill Israeli soldiers, arrest some of them, and take pictures next to the bodies.

At the Sofa base, photos show a dead soldier wearing only his underwear, jacket and helmet. His body was found in front of the dormitory door where at least four men appeared dead. One of them is still wearing his pajamas.

In photos published by Hamas and authenticated by Le Monde newspaper, at least three men, wearing shorts and barefoot, were arrested, beaten, and then taken by a Palestinian outside the base.

At least thirteen simultaneous attacks

At the same time as the military installations were being raided, other groups were heading to Sderot, the music festival and five kibbutzim, all less than seven kilometers from the Gaza border. In total, the Israeli army spoke of “an attack on more than twenty sites.”

In my well it was 6.55 am. When the first terrorists arrived on foot. They slaughtered Israeli citizens, for about four hours, house by house. Surveillance camera footage shows a group looting the property of the dead, while another group carries two lifeless bodies.

Documenting their advance, a gunman broadcast his group’s actions in Nir Oz live on Facebook, Liberation newspaper reported. He approaches the kibbutz, where he photographs the bodies of seven people inside a small building used as a dormitory, apparently executed by his group.

Three kilometers to the north, on Kibbutz Nirim, the perpetrators filmed themselves at around 8:30 am. To move between houses and shoot through windows.

Tried and planned work

It is possible that Hamas commandos have been trained in this operation. The training courses were photographed and published on their advertising channels.

A training video shows militants practicing blowing up a gate very similar to the one on the border with Israel.

A map was found showing the route of the gunman who was killed during the attack, in addition to several small leaflets. These show the different types of IDF armored vehicles, with their own strengths and weaknesses, which will be targeted depending on the weapons used.