Exclusive footage and testimonies reveal the intricate planning and dramatic execution of the October 7, 2023, ‘Operation Al-Aqsa Flood’, led by Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades, marking a historic turning point in the conflict.
In a special episode of the program “Ma Khafi A’azam” (“What is Hidden is Greater”), aired by Al-Jazeera Arabic channel, journalist Tamer Al-Mashaal revealed unprecedented details about the “Operation Al-Aqsa Flood” carried out by the Al-Qassam Brigades on October 7, 2023.
The episode included exclusive footage, first released by the Al-Qassam Brigades, documenting the entire planning process for the operation as well as its aftermath—from the first meetings of the military leadership to the moment of execution.
The broadcast featured rare and significant moments, including footage showing Mohammad Deif, the overall commander of the Al-Qassam Brigades, in full view, standing inside a military operations room as he finalized the preparations for the attack.
In this footage, Deif is seen addressing the operation commanders, saying:
“We must change the course of history, so that we are the ones to lead at this moment, and achieve one of God’s great days, where the banners are raised high.”
#ما_خفي_أعظم يعرض لقطات حصرية تكشف عنها القسام للمرة الأولى لقائد أركانها محمد الضيف داخل غرفة عمليات القيادة أثناء وضع اللمسات الأخيرة لهجوم 7 أكتوبر#حرب_غزة pic.twitter.com/Q27MuHnaWy
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) January 24, 2025
The episode also presented classified documents, including a secret military order signed by Deif on October 5, 2023, specifying the time of the attack as 6:30 AM on October 7, just two days before the operation took place.
The document also outlined key Israeli military sites to be targeted, such as “Yiftah,” “Nahal Oz,” and “Kissufim.”
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Additionally, the program showcased exclusive footage of Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas’ political bureau, who played a central role in directing the Resistance during the war. Sinwar was shown on the battlefield leading operations against Israeli forces in Rafah and other areas.
The footage demonstrated Sinwar’s role in coordinating and boosting the morale of the Al-Qassam Brigades fighters, who were engaging in fierce battles against the Israeli invasion. One scene captured Sinwar seated while planning operations with Mahmoud Hamdan, the commander of the al-Qassam Battalion in Rafah, who was killed in the fighting as well.
In another part of the program, Sinwar was shown on the front lines, observing a targeted Israeli military vehicle that had been disabled in the Tel Sultan neighborhood of Rafah.
#ما_خفي_أعظم يعرض لقطات حصرية تكشف عنها القسام للمرة الأولى لقائد حركة حماس قبل استشهاده يحيى السنوار، تظهر أن السنوار كان فوق الأرض يقود عمليات ضد قوات الاحتلال المتوغلة في #رفح ومناطق أخرى#حرب_غزة pic.twitter.com/B6Lx1brSf1
— قناة الجزيرة (@AJArabic) January 24, 2025
Furthermore, “Ma Khafi A’azam” aired previously unseen footage showing the Al-Qassam Brigades’ meticulous surveillance of the entire Gaza border prior to October 7, 2023. The footage documented the monitoring of Israeli officers, including the capture of Asaf Hamami, the commander of the southern brigade of the Gaza Division. This detailed surveillance played a key role in the operation’s success.
The program also included a rare interview with Azeddine al-Haddad, a member of the Al-Qassam Brigades’ general military council and the commander of the Gaza Brigade.
Al-Haddad explained that the military leadership had been in constant session since October 1, 2023, finalizing the operation’s timing and ensuring everything was in place for its execution. He emphasized that the Israeli occupation, backed by US and the West, would eventually have no choice but to comply with their demands to halt the aggression and withdraw fully from Gaza.
In another dramatic moment, “Ma Khafi A’azam” aired exclusive footage documenting a key moment from the operation: the flipping of an Israeli Merkava tank in an ambush in Beit Hanoun, located in northern Gaza, just before a ceasefire was announced.
مصادر صحفية | لقطات حصرية لـ “ما خفي أعظم” تظهر كميناً نفذته القـــسام في بيت حانون في 8 يناير الماضي.
اللقطات تظهر انقلاب دبابة الميركفاه وتدميرها بشكل كامل؛ ما أدى لمقتل قائد سرية وعدداً من الجنود حسب اعتراف جيش الاحتلال لاحقاً. pic.twitter.com/XCkQIuYTrR
— شبكة قدس الإخبارية (@qudsn) January 24, 2025
The footage, revealed by the al-Qassam Brigades for the first time, showed the tank overturning after an explosion, with its turret separated from the main body. The program also showed efforts to rescue the soldiers trapped inside the destroyed tank. The attack led to the death of the tank’s commander and several Israeli soldiers.
(AJA, PC)