Israel's intelligence apparatus has come under intense scrutiny and criticism due to its inability to predict and prepare for a surprise attack by the Gaza-based militant group, Hamas. Recent revelations suggest that Israel received repeated warnings about an impending significant event planned by Hamas but chose to disregard them.
An Egyptian intelligence official, speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, revealed that Israel had "underestimated" these warnings. The Egyptian official stressed that they had conveyed the message that a substantial escalation was imminent and approaching rapidly, but Israel apparently downplayed these concerns. Egypt, a mediator between Israel and Hamas, reportedly conveyed these warnings on multiple occasions. However, it appears that the Israeli government, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, focused more on the escalating violence in the West Bank than the potential threat from Gaza.
One significant incident involved Egypt's Intelligence Minister General Abbas Kamel personally informing Netanyahu about the potential large-scale operation planned by Hamas just ten days before the attack. Nevertheless, the Israeli government appeared to be indifferent, with Netanyahu reportedly emphasizing that the military was preoccupied with issues in the West Bank.
However, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office vehemently denies these allegations, dismissing them as "complete lies" and asserting that Egypt did not provide any early warnings.
Despite Israel's advanced surveillance capabilities in Gaza, which include drones, security cameras, and cyber intelligence, the country was caught off guard by Hamas' unexpected onslaught. The militant group successfully breached Israeli border defenses, launching a daring attack that resulted in over 700 casualties and more than 2,000 injuries.
This incident has tarnished the reputation of Israel's intelligence agencies, which have a long history of notable achievements. Yaakov Amidror, a former national security adviser to Netanyahu, described it as a "major failure."
The Hamas assault, which represents the most significant breach in Israel's defenses since the 1973 war with Arab armies, followed two years of meticulous planning that involved keeping military intentions concealed from Israel. Hamas' strategy involved convincing Israel that it had no appetite for conflict while secretly preparing for this massive operation, as per a Hamas source close to Reuters.
This approach involved a high degree of intelligence tradecraft to mislead Israel effectively. It included maintaining secrecy about training exercises, with around 1,000 fighters unaware of the exact purpose of their drills. Additionally, many Hamas leaders were kept uninformed about the operation to ensure its confidentiality.
On the day of the attack, the operation unfolded in four distinct stages. First, a barrage of 3,000 rockets was fired from Gaza, a number higher than initially reported by Israel. This rocket attack coincided with incursions by fighters using hang gliders or motorized paragliders to fly over the border.
Upon landing, these airborne fighters secured the area, enabling an elite commando unit to breach Israel's fortified electronic and cement wall designed to prevent infiltration. Using explosives, they breached the barriers and rapidly crossed using motorbikes. Bulldozers were subsequently deployed to widen the gaps, allowing more fighters to enter in four-wheel drives. Witnesses described these scenes as unprecedented and shocking.
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