On October 6, 2023 — less than 24 hours before the devastating Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war — Israel gathered intelligence indicating the terror group was planning something for the following morning, the Kan public broadcaster revealed Friday.

The information came via an intelligence-gathering operation conducted via drones over the Gaza Strip, focused on the Hamas guards operating in the tunnel where Israel believed hostage Avera Mengistu was being held, the report said.

Mengistu, suffering from mental illness, entered Gaza of his own accord in 2014 and was then arrested and held by the group. He was freed as part of a ceasefire deal in February of this year.

A piece of information obtained during that drone operation, though unclear, set off a red flag, and it was passed along to the Israel........

© The Times of Israel