A report by Chananel Aviv (The Zioneer) reveals that Hamas and other Palestinian factions conducted joint command center exercises under the name 'Al-Rukn al-Shadid' (The Strong Pillar) in the former Gush Katif and Gaza Strip areas from 2020 to 2023. The drills included artillery, simulated kidnapping of soldiers, and the conquest of Jewish settlements, replicating the opening attack of the October 7, 2023 massacre.
The joint exercises, code-named 'Al-Rukn al-Shadid' (The Strong Pillar), were conducted by the command centers of the Palestinian factions in the areas that once housed the Gush Katif settlements and the Gaza Strip. The drills simulated artillery barrages, a surprise assault on communities, the abduction of soldiers, and the seizure of Israeli towns, closely mirroring the tactics used in the October 7, 2023 attack.
The report provides a detailed look at the planning and rehearsal that preceded the assault. The Zioneer has previously reported on IDF exercises simulating similar large-scale surprise attacks, underscoring the ongoing assessment of such threats. The information comes from a single source — the report by Chananel Aviv — and has not been independently corroborated. The exact timing and scope of the exercises remain as described in the report.
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- StrongIDF Southern Command drills October 7-scale surprise attack scenario
Source and signal
A single-sourced dispatch is never rated Confirmed or Strong. Its Signal strengthens only when a second, independent source corroborates it.
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