The former British military commander said the attack was too sophisticated for the Gaza-ruling terror group

By World Israel News Staff

The war launched by the Hamas terror group in Gaza on Saturday was jointly orchestrated by Iran and Russia, former British military commander in Afghanistan, Colonel Richard Kemp, said on Sunday.

Over 700 Israelis were killed, 2200 are injured and more than 100 are being held captive in the surprise attack, which began with a coordinated breach of Gaza’s border fence and thousands of rockets targeting southern Israel.

“This attack has been called Israel’s 9/11 by some people, or Israel’s Pearl Harbor, both of which were also accompanied by tragic intelligence failure,” Kemp told Israel National News.

“Iran’s hand was behind this attack… Iran is dedicated to the annihilation of the Jewish State as their leaders have repeated again and again,” he said.

Kemp also pointed to Russia’s involvement, citing their alliance with Iran and shared activities in the Ukraine war. “Leaders of Islamic Jihad and Hamas have visited Moscow in the last few months meeting senior Russian government officials,” Kemp said.

According to the former commander, Russia’s objective is to cause turmoil in the Middle East, thereby diverting U.S. attention from Ukraine.

Both countries also aim to thwart the budding normalization discussions between Saudi Arabia and Israel, he said. Commenting on the implications, he stated, “It is hard to assess the impact this will have [on the negotiations with Saudi Arabia], but it will certainly complicate negotiations and may even lead to their temporary abandonment.”

Regarding Israel’s potential response, Kemp stated that Israel might need to employ unprecedented measures against Hamas and Islamic Jihad, possibly resulting in extended ground operations in Gaza. “I think the immediate goal will be to destroy Hamas and Islamic Jihad as viable terrorist bodies,” he commented.

Addressing the issue of hostages, Kemp called it Israel’s greatest challenge. While he believes rescuing the dispersed hostages might prove difficult, he emphasized Israel’s unwavering commitment to attempt rescues. Kemp also hopes for international pressure on the terrorists holding the hostages.

“Rescuing large numbers of people no doubt dispersed in secure locations around Gaza may well be impossible but I have no doubt the Israeli government, intelligence, and IDF will make every conceivable effort to do so.”

Kemp concluded by urging Western nations, particularly the U.S., to acknowledge Iran and Russia’s roles in the conflict. He called for solidarity with Israel, advocating for active countering of “the anti-Israel narrative that will be boosted by Israel’s necessary actions to defend its population.”