J&K's biggest terror attack on civilians in 2 decades, weeks after Hamas, JeM, LeT leaders seen publicly in PoK

About 90-100 terrorists, mostly from foreign countries, were present at the 'Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al-Aqsa Flood' on February 5 at Rawalakot, PoK, a senior government official said. (Image: AFP)

Precisely 75 days since senior Hamas leaders were seen in public at a high-profile rally and conference in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)—an event that also saw the top leadership from terror outfits such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM)—Jammu and Kashmir witnessed its most lethal civilian-targeted terror attack in more than two decades.

The attack at Pahalgam left over two dozen people dead, including an Israeli and an Italian national. The official figure may also rise, as the government has yet to give details about the casualties.

The terrorists used the route from Poonch that is nearest to the site where the conference was conducted, sources added.

Though Indian central agencies have not established conclusive proof or a link of direct or indirect involvement of Hamas in the attack, it closely resembles the 7 October 2023 Hamas strike on Israel that led to all-out war.

The modus operandi, target selection, and coordination are uncannily similar, though the violence is at a different scale. The conference had already raised concerns among Indian central intelligence agencies, as they expected a “give and take" treaty of manpower. Sources also said that agencies had inputs on the planning of an attack in J&K.

PoK conference

About 90-100 terrorists, mostly from foreign countries, were present at the “Kashmir Solidarity and Hamas Operation Al-Aqsa Flood" on February 5 at Rawalakot, PoK, a senior government official said. According to him, the conference had been organised in order to spin a common tale of Pakistan and Palestine as well-knit united fronts against Israel and India.

Hamas leaders such as Dr Khalid Qaddoumi, Dr Naji Zaheer, Mufti Azam, and five others spoke to the assembly. They wore shawls with Pakistan, Palestine, and their organisation’s flags printed on them. Talha Saif, the brother of India’s most-wanted terrorist Masood Azhar, was also present among key members of the JeM and LeT.

An Israeli government official told News18 that intelligence hints that Hamas leaders have in the past made repeated trips to PoK, and Israel has been asking India to officially declare Hamas a terrorist group.

Attack parallels

On 7 October 2023, Hamas staged a synchronised attack on Israel with a huge rocket barrage against cities such as Tel Aviv, Ashkelon, and Jerusalem, followed by armed incursions into surrounding towns. Militants attacked civilians, set houses on fire, and engaged in mass killings, including the massacre of more than 260 individuals at a music festival near Re’im. Around 1,200 people were killed in the attack, including soldiers and cops.

In an equally ruthless manner, terrorists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, attacked a tourist hub, firing at civilians after allegedly ascertaining their religious identities. With more than two dozen victims, this was the worst terror attack in the region since 2002. Authorities have certified that the attack was well planned and practised, leading to security alerts throughout J&K.