A new report by The Wall Street Journal reveals that Hamas’s Gaza leader, Yahya Sinwar, planned the deadly October 7, 2023, attack on Israel in part to block a growing effort to normalize ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia. According to documents reportedly recovered by the Israeli military in Gaza, Sinwar believed that only a dramatic act would be powerful enough to derail the momentum toward a historic agreement between the two countries.
These documents, reviewed by Arab intelligence officials and reported by the Journal, appear to be genuine. While Israel has not officially confirmed the findings, the report provides a deeper look into Hamas’s long-standing fears over losing influence in the Arab world.
Sinwar’s Warning and Strategic Planning
On October 2, just five days before the attack, Sinwar told Hamas’s political bureau in Gaza that the normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel was moving ahead “significantly.” He warned that if the deal succeeded, many more Arab and Islamic countries might follow, further isolating the Palestinian cause.
He reportedly said it was time to activate a military plan Hamas had been preparing for two years. This plan, according to the documents, was aimed at changing the regional balance and forcing the world to refocus on the Palestinian issue. Sinwar expected Iran-backed militant groups like Hezbollah to also join the fighting once the attack began.
Also Read: Netanyahu Stands Firm: Israel Will Continue War in Gaza Until Hamas Is Defeated
Other Documents Point to Broader Strategy
The Wall Street Journal also viewed other Hamas documents that show the group had been working for years to stop normalization efforts. One file from September 2023 urged escalating violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem to increase tensions and make diplomatic talks more difficult. Another document from August 2022, marked “secret,” suggested that Hamas reposition itself to protect the Palestinian cause, which they felt was under threat from normalization.
That 2022 document also mentioned expanding coordination with Hezbollah and other groups. Hamas also prepared a job post around that time seeking someone to lead Arab-world diplomatic efforts against normalization. The job involved promoting Hamas’s position and encouraging boycott campaigns in countries considering ties with Israel.
Impact of the Attack on Diplomacy
The October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people and led to a war that has devastated Gaza. It also halted the ongoing talks between Israel, Saudi Arabia, and the U.S. over normalization. The Biden administration had worked on a major agreement that included Saudi demands for stronger U.S. defense ties and a political path for the Palestinians.
However, following the attack and the war, Saudi Arabia pulled back. Solidarity with Palestinians grew strongly across the Arab world, including within Saudi Arabia, making it politically harder for Riyadh to proceed without clearer commitments to Palestinian statehood.
Concerns Over Leaked Documents
This is not the first time such documents from Gaza have surfaced. Last year, the German newspaper Bild published a leaked IDF intelligence report claiming Hamas was unwilling to agree to a serious ceasefire deal. But later, a German TV program, Panorama, claimed that the full version of the same document told a different story — that Hamas had offered an 84-day truce and was open to flexible negotiations.
That leak caused a political stir in Israel, especially after it was revealed that a military reservist had illegally passed the classified file to an aide of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who then leaked it to the press.
Hamas Succeeded in the Plan
The Wall Street Journal’s latest findings suggest that Hamas’s attack on October 7 was not just a brutal act of terrorism, but also a calculated political move. Hamas feared that a Saudi-Israel peace deal would leave it further isolated and the Palestinian issue sidelined. Whether or not these documents fully represent the group’s motives, the war that followed has indeed frozen normalization efforts — just as Sinwar had hoped. If we see the real goal of the October 7 attack, one can say that the Hamas succeeded in their goal because Saudi Arbaia has backed off from normalization and has said without Palestinian statehood there is no normalization between the Kingdom and Isarel.
