Israeli Army Radio on Sunday revealed shocking details about how Hamas collected sensitive intelligence on Israeli bases and equipment from soldiers’ social media activity, allowing the Movement to learn the secrets of the modern Merkava 4 tank.
In its exclusive report, Army Radio said a specialized Hamas intelligence unit built a detailed database over several years by piecing together thousands of social media posts by Israeli soldiers, including photos and videos, specifically focusing on the Merkava Mark 4 tank.
The report affirmed that Hamas developed a dedicated “tank force” from its Qassam Brigade elite fighters using full-scale mock-ups and advanced simulators modeled on Israeli armored corps training systems.
It said the Israeli army was puzzled when it discovered, during investigations conducted after the Oct. 7 attacks, that Hamas temporarily disabled tanks around Gaza and tried to seize them and transfer them into the Strip.
“Hamas learned about a hidden kill switch on the tank that disables the vehicle and renders it useless,” the report showed.
Investigations also revealed that Hamas gathered sensitive intelligence about Merkava tanks over many years by monitoring the social media accounts of tens of thousands of soldiers.
They gathered images and videos from armored corps bases and training centers. Using this information, Hamas produced detailed models and virtual reality simulations of military sites surrounding the Gaza Strip, enabling fighters to rehearse raids with high precision.
Based on the investigations, Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir on Saturday summoned senior army officers to hold them personally accountable for their actions over the failures that led to the October 7 attack.
The Merkava 4 tank has been hailed as “the most advanced and most protected tank in the world.” It is also renowned for its advanced defensive systems.
However, Palestinian fighters have used the locally developed Al-Yassin 105 anti-tank rocket to successfully damage, disable, and in some cases, destroy these tanks.
Asharq Al-Awsat Report
Last January, military training manuals belonging to Hamas, discovered by an Asharq Al-Awsat correspondent in the rubble of Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, provided partial insight into the Hamas’ methods for preparing its fighters.
The manuals titled “Anti-Armor Weapons – Northern Brigade” and dated 2023 provide insight into Hamas’ methods for preparing recruits to target Israeli forces.
The documents include instructions on using light weapons, guided rockets, and other munitions, aiming to train new fighters for operations against Israeli troops.
The manuals detail shooting techniques, effective firing ranges, and guidelines for targeting Israeli armored vehicles, particularly weaknesses in Merkava tanks to maximize damage and ensure destruction.
They also explain the use of various projectiles, including RBG rockets, PG-7V, F-7, BG-7M, Yassin rockets, tandem warheads, and both Chinese and Russian munitions, as well as the TBG rocket system.
According to Hamas sources speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat at the time, such manuals have long been part of Al-Qassam Brigades’ military training.
