The space-time distribution of signals associated with anomalous traffic in Gaza (Figure 5b) bears important implications for the Hamas operational plan. The locations indicate that pre-attack mobilization originated near Khan Younes, a city believed to serve as a hideout for the senior Hamas leadership as well as for many of its troops, and where intense fighting is currently taking place. It is therefore not surprising to find prominent pre-attack activity in that area.
    The timing and location of the most coherent signals support a two-stage deployment scheme.  The early stage, which took place between 04:45 to 05:45 local time, consisted of slower, possibly sparser movement of troops north and south of Khan Younes.  The activity extends out to about 15 km north of the city, and a few kilometers to its south.  The troops likely paused between 05:45 to about 06:00, as is manifested by a decline in seismic amplitudes (Figure 4a-c), and, accordingly, in the rate of array-based detections (Figure 5b). One possibility is that in this lag, troops advanced and then paused to watch for activity in Israel suggesting their earlier motions have been detected. This scenario is consistent with IDF reports of the last pre-attack near-barrier activity taking place northeast of Nuseirat at about 05:00 local time. The location of that near-barrier activity is in agreement with locations of coherent arrivals resolved by the IS stations, and the lack of later pre-attack reports is consistent with the inter-deployment seismic quiescence.     
    The duration of the no-detection epoch suggests Hamas militants took about 15 minutes to confirm the IDF hadn't spotted their advancement. The ensuing detection rate and amplitude increase suggest that the pause was followed by a rapid and larger wave of troops who left the Khan Younis area and spread out towards the furthest extent of the Gaza Strip. It seems that once the second wave reached Beit Lahia and Rafah, in the northern and southernmost edges of the strip, an order was given to hit all near-barrier positions at once.