Hamas Documents Show October 7 Attack Aimed to Block Israel-Saudi Normalization

Hamas intentionally launched its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel to thwart ongoing normalization talks between Israel and Saudi Arabia, according to documents recovered by the Israeli Defense Forces and reported by multiple sources including The Wall Street Journal. The minutes from a Hamas political bureau meeting on October 2, 2023, reveal that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar viewed the potential Saudi-Israeli agreement as a significant threat that could lead other Arab and Islamic nations to normalize ties with Israel, thereby marginalizing the Palestinian cause. Sinwar called for an "extraordinary act" to disrupt the deal, accelerating a two-year-planned assault aimed at creating a strategic regional shift and encouraging other groups like Hezbollah and Iranian proxies to join the conflict. Additional documents urged increased attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem to further obstruct the normalization process and expressed skepticism about Saudi Arabia’s commitment to Palestinian interests. The attack resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and over 250 abductions, igniting a broader war in Gaza and beyond. These revelations underscore Hamas’s strategic objective to maintain its influence and prevent the isolation of the Palestinian cause amid shifting Middle East alliances.