On a regular Saturday, retired Israeli Army General Israel Ziv was leisurely biking around his residence when reports of an impending attack by Hamas started to surface. Initially, he assumed that the alerts pertained to rocket attacks from Gaza. As time passed, the true scale of the threat gradually became evident. It took approximately an hour to fully grasp the severity of the situation, as Israel Ziv recounted during an interview with India Today TV.
Hamas had initiated an unexpected attack, infiltrating Israel through air and land, with Israeli civilians and soldiers in their crosshairs. In response to the alarming news, the retired General wasted no time and swiftly retrieved his pistol and uniform.
He recollected that it had been an ordinary Saturday, and as he biked near his home, the alerts began to arrive. Initially, he believed they pertained to rockets originating from Gaza. However, it took a while to realize the gravity of the situation, which was unlike anything they had encountered before. Without hesitation, he retrieved his pistol, donned his uniform, and proceeded to Gaza to support the troops. The situation he encountered was unlike anything he had witnessed previously.
Israel Ziv emphasized the challenging nature of the situation, with soldiers contending with Hamas terrorists for a grueling nine hours until reinforcements arrived.
He expressed his surprise at the scale of the Hamas attack, describing it as something unprecedented. The extent of the military offensive, with numerous Hamas terrorists displaying intense animosity and targeting civilians, was shocking.
Although he only had a pistol with him, he used the rifles of injured soldiers nearby to continue fighting, emphasizing the determination of a soldier to fulfill their duty, even with limited resources.
Israel Ziv characterized the attack by Hamas as a significant failure. He highlighted two key aspects: intelligence failures in terms of awareness and response, as well as a systemic breakdown. The reliance on technology in the defense system was underscored, suggesting potential over-reliance. Ultimately, the attack had caught them off guard, and Israel Ziv expressed his disappointment with the situation.
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