First-time admit of its failures since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack led to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Unprecedentedly, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) published a report detailing the strategic miscalculations responsible for the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis, in what almost started five thousand Hamas militants into Israel. The attackers took 251 hostages too.
In its 19-page report which does not present major substantial new insights, several major mistakes made by the IDF have been highlighted. Most glaringly, the IDF failed in its primary task: it did not defend Israeli civilians. The report disclosed that the army underestimated Hamas’s capability to carry out large-scale attacks, regarding the organization as only a secondary security threat, with increased concern for Iran and Hezbollah.
The IDF miscalculated Hamas’ intention, thinking they would not be preparing for a massive attack. Unfortunately for the military, this judgment meant that it was totally unprepared for the surprise assault that began on the morning of October 7. The report centered on the fact that they didn’t think about developing a real strategy against the potential change in leadership in Gaza, basically creating bad foresight in their planning.
According to the report, there was an alarming gap between intelligence assessments and their operational execution. Despite several signs of an impending attack, these were poorly communicated to senior officials, and no serious internal debate ever set forth on the probable risks posed by Hamas. The failure to do this resulted in the army responding late and without proper preparedness.
The IDF was unable to identify and differentiate between combatants, civilians, and militants in Gaza, between a civilian operation and a military tactic. Thus confusion led to delayed responses and other mistakes in the early stage of the attack.
Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, who at the time was commander of the IDF, took full responsibility for the failures, admitting to himself that he erred in assessment. After he resigned, Halevi called for an independent commission to look into the events. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has sidestepped personal accountability and deferred any government investigation until after the war is over.
This report marks the first major acknowledgment of Israeli military inadequacies, which might prove a turning point, acting as a development guide.