‘What’s the Next Step?’: Report Exposes Hamas’s Lack of Strategy after October 7 Attack

January 23, 2025

by: Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 23 January 2025 | Members of Hamas’s political bureau met with Turkish intelligence officials on October 7, 2023, the same day Hamas launched a devastating attack on Israel, killing over 1,200 people, Turkish news outlet 10HABER reported on Tuesday.

The report includes rare, pointed criticism of Hamas, accusing it of causing catastrophic consequences for Gaza while failing to prepare for the aftermath. “What victory are you celebrating? You brutally murdered 1,200 Israelis and handed Netanyahu the excuse to kill 46,000 people,” the report read.

According to the article, the Hamas delegation arrived at the headquarters of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) in Istanbul on the morning of October 7. As news of the assault on Israel unfolded, members of the Hamas delegation reportedly shouted “Allahu Akbar” [‘Allah is most great’] and celebrated, unaware of the full scale of the massacre. Turkish officials present at the meeting were said to have remained silent as the delegation expressed their elation.

Turkish Officials Question Hamas’s Strategy

The report noted that while Hamas representatives exulted, MIT officials maintained silence. A senior Turkish intelligence officer reportedly asked the Hamas delegates: “You’ve carried out an extraordinary, unexpected operation. But what’s the next step? Have you thought about that? You’ve gone 1-0 against Israel, but this won’t just end at 1-1. Do you have a second phase or a plan to follow this?”

The Hamas delegation, the article claims, did not respond to these questions. The Turkish official persisted: “Understand that Israel won’t leave the score at 1-1. It won’t end at 2-1, 3-1, or even 4-1. We know Netanyahu and Israel. They’ll take it to 10-1, or even 12-1. Do you have a strategy for what comes next?”

The article states that Turkish intelligence officials concluded Hamas’s delegation had no awareness of the massacre’s scope and had not planned for the aftermath. The MIT’s message to Hamas during the meeting was reportedly clear: “Do not place too much trust in Iran.”

The article’s author offered an unflinching critique of Hamas, accusing the organization of causing immense suffering in Gaza. He revealed that he had been aware of the meeting’s details for some time but decided to publish them now. “I watched for minutes as masked men in Gaza celebrated and raised their hands in victory. I stared in disbelief,” he wrote. “I kept shouting internally, ‘My friends, what victory is this?’”

Addressing Hamas directly, the author added: “Don’t you see the devastation behind you? What victory is this? Do you never look at the balance sheet? Forty-six thousand people are dead. More than 100,000 are injured, many of whom will live with those injuries—amputated hands and legs—for the rest of their lives. Over a million people have been displaced from their homes. Ninety percent of Gaza’s homes and workplaces are in ruins. Schools and hospitals have been flattened. Electricity is gone. You’ve lost all your regional allies. Your leadership has disappeared. Hezbollah, your closest supporter, is not even on its knees—it’s flat on the ground.”

The author continued: “Israel has entered Lebanon. Tons of bombs fall daily on your allies in Yemen. Assad, the only leader who supported you militarily, has fled. His successors now say, ‘We won’t allow further actions against Israel from Syria.’ Your entire leadership team has been killed. Two, even three future generations have been destroyed. Yet you stand there making victory signs. What kind of victory is this? Can there ever be victory in such a war?”

A Condemnation of Hamas’s Actions on October 7

The writer posed pointed questions about Hamas’s motivations: “Friends, why did you carry out the bloody attack on October 7? Why did you brutally murder 1,200 people—young and old, men and women, including those enjoying a music festival? Why did you abduct hundreds, causing dozens to die underground? Why did you give a savage like Netanyahu the excuse to mercilessly kill 46,000 people? The war is over now. Let us be clear: the fingers that yesterday pointed at Israel will now point at Hamas.”

He continued his condemnation: “Tell me, did you gain anything from this ruthless campaign? What did you win? Global public opinion? The world didn’t support you; it supported the children, women, elderly, and innocent civilians who died. Don’t think for a moment that those protesting Netanyahu worldwide supported your barbaric attack, in which you killed 1,200 people and took hundreds of hostages. Now the bloodshed has stopped.”

The article concluded with a stark warning for Hamas. “Be sure that the fingers pointing at Netanyahu worldwide will now also turn on you because we now know that if Hamas’s irresponsible military wing doesn’t reform, the Palestinian people will never see happiness. Anyone seeking true peace in Gaza must now deliver the necessary message to these reckless individuals who make victory signs with their two open fingers. Netanyahu is a war criminal. But Hamas, you are not innocent either.”

Editor’s Note: The Turkish news agency 10HABER is notably biased in its reporting against Israel’s actions. However, this article highlights a rare instance of criticism of Hamas, emphasizing that even some of Hamas’s allies disapprove of their methods.

It is important to note that the figures reported by 10HABER concerning Israel’s attack on Gaza are inaccurate.  Refer to “Questionable Counting: Analyzing the Death Toll from the Hamas-Run Ministry of Health in Gaza” for verified, accurate and reliable data.

Posted on January 23, 2025

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on January 22, 2025. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: rainwiz/Flickr.com

Photo License: Flickr