Hamas viewed Saudi normalization as ‘fatal blow’
The decision by the Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip to launch the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion and massacre in southern Israel was driven by a convergence of immediate geopolitical anxieties about Saudi-Israeli normalization and…
Assessment
New analysis of captured Hamas documents suggests the October 7 attack was partly a reaction to the pace of Saudi-Israeli normalization talks, which Hamas viewed as a strategic threat. This frames the assault as an attempt to derail diplomatic realignment rather than an isolated act of aggression. Watch for further releases of these documents and how Israeli and US officials integrate this into their regional strategy.