Handwritten notes attributed to former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar indicate the group anticipated that Israel could respond to the planned October 7, 2023, attack with overwhelming military force, including the possible use of a nuclear weapon.
According to the Times of Israel, the document, reportedly written in August 2022 and obtained by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center before its publication by Channel 12, outlines Hamas’s expectations of Israel’s response and its operational plans.
The notes state that Hamas expected Israel to be briefly caught off guard before launching a massive counteroffensive “using every available military capability,” adding that “it is possible that it will even use a nuclear bomb.”
The document also describes plans for about 2,500 fighters to breach Israel’s border at 25 locations simultaneously as part of a broader force of roughly 10,000 militants targeting kibbutzim, towns, cities and military bases. It further alleges that many participants were unaware of the operation’s full scope and outlines plans to seize hostages, particularly men aged 17 to 50, while confiscating mobile phones and documents.
The publication follows the release of another document in October 2025 that allegedly detailed Hamas’s plan to maximize the psychological impact of the October 7 attacks through live broadcasts.
