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Incitement and Delegitimization

Instructions Given by Yahya al-Sinwar for the October 7, 2023 Attack and Massacre

After Operation Guardian of the Walls (or "The Sword of Jerusalem Battle," as Hamas calls it) in May 2021, the Hamas leadership, led by Yahya al-Sinwar, leader of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, began planning a campaign to realize the vision of "the destruction of Israel."; In addition to the Hamas leadership's strategic coordination with Iran and Hezbollah, al-Sinwar personally participated in planning the terrorist attack and massacre carried out by the organization's military wing; A document handwritten by al-Sinwar in August 2022, which was found by the IDF in the Gaza Strip, detailed his instructions, from the deceptions in the weeks before the invasion to the conduct of invasion itself, based on the understanding that the Israeli defense measures along the border would not be able to stop the waves of attacking terrorists; According to the document, al-Sinwar kept the plan secret from the other terrorist organizations operating in the Gaza Strip, intending to involve them only in subsequent waves after Hamas had secured control of Israeli territory; Al-Sinwar expressed his confidence that the Hamas offensive would lead to a multi-front campaign involving Israeli Arabs, Judea and Samaria, and east Jerusalem, as well as an invasion of Israel's north by Hezbollah; A central part of the document is dedicated to the psychology of the attack, with al-Sinwar's explicit instructions to document Hamas terrorist operatives indiscriminately slaughtering civilians, trampling soldiers' bodies, burning residential neighborhoods, and blowing up tanks. The documentation of the atrocities was intended not only for internal use but was planned as a psychological tool to shock and terrorize the Israeli public and send a message of power to "resistance" operatives in the region; The document shows al-Sinwar's control over all the details of the invasion as it was carried out during the early hours of the attack on October 7, 2023. In ITIC assessment, al-Sinwar was not content with a large-scale terrorist attack or with sending a message but aspired to a complete strategic change on the ground through prolonged physical control of command centers, communication hubs, and IDF bases to leverage Israel's initial confusion and establish a new reality before the IDF or the international community could respond.
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (September 17—30, 2025)

In his speech at the UN General Assembly, the Iranian President accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the Gaza Strip and declared that the “Greater Israel” plan expresses the true intentions of the “Zionist regime.” The Houthi leader in Yemen accused the Arab countries of making a “strategic mistake” due to their continued ties with Israel; Hardline media in Iran expressed reservations about European countries’ recognition of the “State of Palestine,” arguing that such recognition is not enough to bring about a change in the Palestinians’ situation or to end the “Zionist occupation.”; Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, arrived in Lebanon to participate in the commemoration ceremonies marking the first anniversary of the targeted killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. He stressed Iran’s continued support for Hezbollah but made it clear that it does not interfere in Lebanon’s decision-making. Before Larijani’s visit, the Lebanese government refused to allow two Iranian planes to land in Beirut ahead of the anniversary events; The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman responded to the Syrian President’s remarks that the severing of relations between the two countries is not permanent and said that Iran is ready to renew ties with Damascus but is not in a hurry to do so; The Houthis claimed responsibility for nine attacks against targets in Israel using ballistic missiles and drones. Two drones exploded in Eilat, injuring at least 20 people. In response, the IDF attacked Houthi military targets in Sana’a; The Houthis reportedly improved their own capabilities in the production of drones and long-range missiles and are preparing for the possibility of a ground raid into Israeli territory; A Dutch-flagged cargo ship was attacked in the Red Sea and caught fire. Two crew members were injured; The United States has added four pro-Iranian militias in Iraq to the list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The militias are preparing amid concerns about an Israeli attack; A Syrian militia claimed responsibility for an explosion near an IDF post in southern Syria, in which an IDF reserve officer was seriously wounded. 
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Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (September 16-29, 2025)

IDF forces continued to operate further inside Gaza City and continued aerial attacks on terrorist targets above and below ground and the targeting of terrorist operatives, including those involved in the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre. At least 750,000 Gaza City residents responded to IDF calls and moved to humanitarian areas in the south of the Strip despite threats and attempts by Hamas to prevent them. Six IDF soldiers were killed in the fighting; The United States president proposed a 21-point plan to end the war and secure the release of all hostages. Hamas denied it had received a new proposal and repeated its previous demands; Reports indicated the establishment of new militias operating against Hamas in various areas of the Gaza Strip, some in cooperation with Israel. Hamas security forces executed "collaborators" and promised protection to those who surrendered; The Global Sumud (Resilience) Flotilla is advancing with more than forty vessels and hundreds of activists in an attempt to "break the siege" of the Gaza Strip; Two IDF soldiers were shot and killed at the Allenby crossing by a Jordanian terrorist, and an IDF soldier was killed in a vehicular ramming attack in Samaria. Israeli security forces continued counterterrorism operations in Judea and Samaria and located rockets in the Ramallah and Tulkarm areas; Speaking before the UN General Assembly, Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas called for Hamas to disarm and promised that the "Palestinian state" would be demilitarized. Hamas condemned the speech and accused him of promoting the "Zionist narrative."
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The Global Sumud (“Perseverance”) Flotilla to the Gaza Strip – Update (September 25, 2025)

The Global Sumud Flotilla, which was launched at the end of August 2025, continues its progress in the Mediterranean Sea with about 50 vessels and hundreds of activists with the aim of “breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip.”; The flotilla participants claimed that they had been subjected to a series of drone attacks and various attempts to disrupt the proper course of the voyage and prevent the vessels from reaching the Gaza Strip. As a result, Spain and Italy announced the dispatch of military ships to accompany the flotilla and assist in evacuation operations if necessary; Israel has made it clear that it will prevent the flotilla from entering the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing fighting. However, it has not claimed responsibility for the alleged attacks against the vessels. The Israeli proposal that the vessels dock in Ashkelon and that humanitarian aid be transferred to the Gaza Strip was rejected by the flotilla organizers; The organizers’ refusal to heed calls to halt the voyage to the Gaza Strip, together with the military escort provided to the flotilla’s vessels and Israel’s determination to prevent the ships from reaching their destination, are creating a complex situation that could lead to violent clashes in the coming days. In the ITIC's assessment, this development could play into the hands of the flotilla organizers and the Hamas movement, who view the flotilla as a propaganda tool intended to undermine Israel’s standing on the international stage.
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spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (September 9-16, 2025)

On September 16, 2025, IDF forces launched a ground maneuver in Gaza City as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, following airstrikes on hundreds of terrorist targets across the city. Despite threats and obstruction attempts by Hamas, at least 350,000 residents responded to the IDF’s calls and relocated to humanitarian areas in the southern Gaza Strip; Negotiations for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire have been frozen following an Israeli attempt to eliminate the Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar. Hamas has made it clear that it will not give up its demands for an end to the war and a complete withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip; Pro-Palestinian activists continued their flotilla in the Mediterranean Sea in an attempt to “break the siege” on the Gaza Strip; The PA’s security forces reportedly detained businessman Samir Halile, who claimed he is a candidate for the position of interim governor of the Gaza Strip; A Palestinian terrorist holding a blue ID card wounded two Israelis in a stabbing attack at a hotel in kibbutz Tzuba. Israeli security forces sealed the homes of the two perpetrators of the recent shooting attack in Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood, even before obtaining a demolition permit; The Palestinian Authority welcomed the UN General Assembly’s decision to adopt the New York Declaration, which calls for the implementation of the two-state solution.
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The Global Sumud (“Perseverance”) Flotilla in the Service of Hamas

The Global Sumud Flotilla set sail from Barcelona with the objective of “breaking the blockade on the Gaza Strip,” expected to be the largest since Israel imposed the naval blockade on the Gaza Strip in 2007. Among the participants are Hamas supporters who expressed support for the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre.
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