An Israeli military probe into Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack acknowledged a “complete failure” of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to protect civilians, resulting in hundreds of deaths. The military recognized its overconfidence and misconceptions about Hamas’s capabilities, which allowed the group to launch a brutally coordinated attack in three waves, with approximately 5,000 militants infiltrating Israel. The Gaza Division was notably overrun early in the conflict, as military officials admitted they did not foresee such a scenario unfolding. This inquiry reviewed 77 investigations into the attack’s impacts on communities and military bases.
Tel Aviv, Israel:
An internal investigation by the Israeli army into the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, released on Thursday, recognized the military’s “total failure” to thwart the assault that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Israelis, a military official stated.
“October 7 represented a total failure; the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) did not fulfill its duty to safeguard Israeli civilians,” the official declared while briefing reporters about the findings, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“Too many civilians died that day, questioning either in their hearts or aloud, where was the IDF?”
“The Israel Defense Forces did not manage to protect Israeli citizens. The Gaza Division was overwhelmed in the early hours of the conflict, as terrorists seized control and perpetrated massacres in local communities and along the roads in the vicinity,” the military mentioned in the report summary provided to journalists.
The military admitted to being “overconfident” and misjudging Hamas’s capabilities prior to the militant group’s assault, according to a senior military official who spoke during the same briefing.
The inquiry, which involved 77 distinct investigations into events within communities, at military bases, and various confrontation points along the Gaza perimeter, is currently being shared with those most impacted.
“We never envisioned such a scenario,” remarked the first military official to reporters, adding that Hamas-led Palestinian militants caught Israel off guard, not just in the size and scale of the attack but also in its “brutality”.
The military investigation revealed that Hamas’s assault unfolded in three waves, with over 5,000 individuals breaching the borders into Israel from Gaza at its peak.
“The initial wave consisted of more than 1,000 Nukhba (elite force) terrorists who infiltrated amidst intense gunfire,” the inquiry’s summary reported.
It further stated that the second wave comprised 2,000 militants, while the third wave was marked by the arrival of hundreds of militants alongside several thousand civilians.
“In total, around 5,000 terrorists breached Israeli territory during the attack,” stated the report.
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