Hamas Documents Reveal Why Hezbollah Did Not Join October 7 Attack in Northern Israel

Newly revealed Hamas documents, published by Galei Tzahal correspondent Doron Kedosh and uncovered by the Amit Institute for Terror and Intelligence Research, shed light on the complex relationship between Hamas and Hezbollah leading up to the October 7 attacks. Despite Hassan Nasrallah's surprise at the Hamas-led assault, he did not order Hezbollah's "Radwan" forces to invade northern Israel's Galilee region, a decision that prevented a far larger massacre.

The documents trace the cooperation back to 2019, when Hamas leaders sought support from Nasrallah and Iran's Qasem Soleimani. During the 2021 "Guardian of the Walls" operation, a joint intelligence center in Beirut coordinated between Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Hezbollah provided Hamas with detailed Israeli military intelligence and even thwarted an Israeli deception operation targeting Hamas tunnels, known as the "Metro".

A key meeting in Beirut in May 2022 involved senior Hamas figures Salah al-Arouri and Khalil al-Hayya, Nasrallah, and Iranian General Izadi. Hamas pushed for a broad campaign exploiting Israel's fragile political situation and rising West Bank terrorism, but Nasrallah urged caution, demanding clear strategy and goals. Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar proposed a multi-front surprise attack originally planned for Passover 2023, including guerrilla incursions from Jordan and Syria. Nasrallah endorsed this as a realistic scenario, contrasting with Israeli military dismissals.

Throughout 2023, Sinwar believed Hezbollah and Iran were ready to join, but hesitations persisted. On October 7, Sinwar launched the attack without informing Nasrallah in advance and urgently requested Hezbollah's immediate military support. Nasrallah declined to deploy Radwan forces, initiating only limited symbolic fire from Mount Dov a day later. The documents confirm that full Hezbollah involvement that morning would have resulted in a far deadlier conflict, sparing the Galilee from mass casualties.

This unprecedented national tragedy was thus mitigated by Hezbollah's restraint, as revealed by these behind-the-scenes intelligence disclosures.