Iran was reportedly training about 500 members from Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the weeks prior to Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday citing intelligence sources.
The September training was reportedly led by Iran’s Quds Force, a foreign-operations arm of the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to the WSJ. Senior Palestinian officials, along with head of the Quds force Brig. Gen. Esmail Qaani, were reportedly in attendance for the exercises, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Israel Agrees To Delay Invasion So Pentagon Can Rush Air Defense To The Middle East)
WSJ News Exclusive: In the weeks leading up to Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel, hundreds of the group’s fighters received specialized combat training in Iran, according to people familiar with intelligence related to the assault https://t.co/gFnOHMPac4https://t.co/gFnOHMPac4
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 25, 2023
Hamas’s Oct. 7 surprise attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,400 people, most of them Israeli, and hundreds captured, the outlet noted.
Iran’s assistance toward Hamas and other terrorist groups was already established prior to the attack, the WSJ reported. “Before the war, Iran directly assisted Hamas with money, training and weapons and technological know-how,” Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israel Defense Force spokesman, said, according to the WSJ. “Even now, Iran is helping Hamas with intelligence,” he added.
The Quds Force is regarded by the United States as a terrorist organization, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. There have been contradictory reports by the press over whether Iran played a direct role in Hamas’ decision to storm southern Israel. Hamas denies that Iran or any other country knew about their decision ahead of time.