Israeli military report acknowledges failures in October 7 attacks

Shafaq News/ On Thursday, the Israeli military released the results of its internal investigation into the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, acknowledging “significant failures.”

The report concluded that the Israeli military was unprepared for an attack of such scale and surprise, which resulted in the swift breakdown of defensive lines in the first hours of the attack, causing heavy losses in both deaths and kidnappings.

Intelligence Failures

Long-standing Israeli security assumptions were challenged by the investigation, which stated that for years, Israel viewed Hamas as a “secondary threat,” betting on a strategy of deterrence and economic incentives rather than direct confrontation.

Critical intelligence failures were also highlighted, revealing that security agencies ignored multiple warning signs indicating Hamas was preparing for a large-scale offensive. This failure delayed raising the military’s alert level, leaving key border areas vulnerable.

Delayed Response

According to the findings, Israeli forces were understaffed along the Gaza border, and military response mechanisms proved inadequate. The army’s frontline brigades collapsed quickly, unable to mount an immediate defense against the assault.

The report also detailed how Hamas fighters breached Israeli defenses, killing and abducting many soldiers and civilians before the military gradually regained control by the afternoon.

It further noted that reserve forces and military units were not deployed quickly enough to combat the threat, and Israeli airstrikes faced difficulties in executing precision strikes due to militants being intermingled with Israeli civilians.

Calls for Military Overhaul

Fundamental changes in Israel’s security and military strategies were recommended following the investigation, emphasizing that "managing the conflict is no longer an effective strategy." The report urged a reassessment of Israel’s policy toward Gaza, alongside increasing troop presence on the border to prevent future attacks, calling for improving intelligence gathering and ensuring more accurate threat analysis to prevent another failure in assessing Hamas' intentions. It recommended strengthening Israel’s military defense systems, developing a force capable of responding to large-scale surprise attacks across multiple fronts, and implementing intensive training programs for ground troops to improve emergency response.

While specific military officials were not blamed, the report stated that internal reviews and evaluations would continue, with the possibility of further disclosures in the future.

Political Reactions

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz directed the military to immediately transfer all findings from the October 7 investigations to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, instructing the army to be prepared to present any additional inquiries in detail.

Meanwhile, Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, called for the establishment of a formal commission of inquiry, stating, "What has been published reveals only the tip of the iceberg of the greatest tragedy in the state's history."