Hamas has said the terror launched against Israel that killed about 1,200 Israelis and other nationals at the weekend was planned for two years.
A top Hamas official, Ali Baraka made this known during an interview with an Arab news channel on Sunday.
Baraka also disclosed that fewer than five Hamas leaders knew the details of the attack launched on Saturday
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to wipe Hamas fighters out of the earth over the attack, which was described as the deadliest since the Holocaust.
He has ordered the bombardment of Gaza since the attack, which has killed hundreds of Palestinians.
Speaking on the attack, Baraka said, “The thing any Palestinian desires most is to be martyred for the sake of Allah, defending his land.”
Baraka said that for the last few years, Hamas projected a ‘rational’ image to the outside world by claiming to focus on governing in Gaza as opposed to planning terror attacks, Daily Mail said.
That image, however, was part of the organization’s plan to covertly plan the massive attack on Israel that has launched the region back into war.
“It (Hamas) did not go into any war. It did not join the Islamic Jihad in its recent battle,” said Baraka.
“Of course. We made them think that Hamas was busy with governing Gaza, and that it wanted to focus on the 2.5 million Palestinians (in Gaza), and has abandoned the resistance altogether.
“All while under the table, Hamas was preparing for this big attack. We have been preparing for this attack for two years,” he said.
