Israeli security forces have suggested that the Hamas terrorists responsible for the Oct. 7 massacre at the Nova music festival likely acted spontaneously, without prior knowledge of the event. The attack, which resulted in the deaths of 364 festival-goers, is believed to have been an unplanned act of terror, based on police investigations and terrorist interrogations.

The investigation also revealed that an IDF combat helicopter, which was dispatched to the scene, may have inadvertently hit some festival attendees. The police believe that the terrorists had initially planned to infiltrate Re’im and other nearby kibbutzim along the Gaza border.

Security officials speculate that Hamas discovered the festival through drones or parachutes and directed the terrorists to the location. Evidence supporting this theory includes a video from a terrorist’s bodycam, in which he is heard asking a captured citizen for directions to Re’im.

Further supporting the theory of spontaneity, police sources revealed that the festival, originally scheduled for Thursday and Friday, had an extra day added on the preceding Tuesday at the request of the organizers. This last-minute change suggests that Hamas was unaware of the event.

Despite the tragic loss of life, a senior police source noted that the majority of the estimated 4,400 attendees managed to escape after the decision to disperse the event was made four minutes after the initial rocket attack.

Read more at Haaretz.