Israel Katz: Here's proof Iran gave Hamas vital aid before October 7

Defense Minister Israel Katz revealed correspondence today (Sunday) showing how Hamas requested and received $500 million to "destroy Israel" prior to the October 7 attack.

In his statement he said that "I am here today visiting the AMSHAT unit - a special unit that was established during the 'Iron Swords' war and is based on reserve soldiers who bring extensive knowledge from the civilian sector and have developed a national capability that did not exist before - an intelligence capability that currently holds critical materials physically collected from deep in the field: archives of Hamas, Hezbollah, and other sensitive intelligence sources.

"I am presenting here today for the first time a document containing conversations found in the tunnels of senior Hamas officials in Gaza, which proves a direct connection between Iran and Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif as part of Iran's support for Hamas's plan to destroy Israel.

"In the document, they demand that the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guards transfer 500 million dollars for the destruction of the State of Israel.

"The head of the Palestinian branch in the Revolutionary Guards, Izadi, responded to the request and told them that Iran - despite its difficult economic situation and the distress of the Iranian population - will continue to funnel money to Hamas, because the struggle against Israel and the US is the top priority of the Iranian regime.

"The conclusion is clear: Iran is the head of the snake, and despite all its denials, even these days it is financing and promoting terrorism on all fronts - from Gaza, through Lebanon, Syria, Judea and Samaria, and now with the Houthis in Yemen under the banner of wanting to destroy Israel."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly stressed the idea that Hamas is just one wing in the Iranian "axis of evil" which includes Hezbollah, the Houthis, and proxy terrorist forces in Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere.