In documents released shortly before October 7th, the Israeli security agency Shin Bet stated that “Hamas doesn’t want war.” However, Shin Bet has criticized the publication of these quotes, arguing that they were taken out of context.
The documents address incidents at Israel’s Gaza border, where terrorists were attempting to breach the fence and secretly preparing for an invasion. The quotes were published by Israeli media without identifying the source or specifying the intended audience of the documents.
One section of the document cited, “the renewal of understandings between Israel and Hamas on security quiet [between Gaza and Israel] in return for concessions will enable the preservation of public order for a protracted period. Hamas is maintaining [Yahya] Sinwar’s strategy — advancing the organization’s goals without getting involved in a round of fighting.”
A second quoted section stated, “The latest episode of friction [at the fence] ended in what Hamas considers to be a positive fashion because it achieved economic gains without being drawn into military conflict. We should pursue a framework that offers significant benefits to the Strip to maintain the calm.”
While Shin Bet confirmed the accuracy of the quotes, they did not reveal any efforts to negotiate the release of four Israeli hostages before October 7th.
Shin Bet also criticized the publication for omitting a crucial warning included in the original documents, which emphasized the need for heightened alertness due to the potential for renewed conflict on the Gaza front.
