Civilian-led investigation reveals Israeli government’s failure to protect its citizens on Oct. 7

The Israeli government was criticized for failing to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks on October 7, according to a civilian report released on Tuesday. The report blamed defense and intelligence establishments, as well as civilian leaders, for not taking action against Hamas pre-emptively. It also pointed out arrogance among state leaders and security officials that prevented them from confronting reality. The board of inquiry, made up of former members of various fields, called for an official investigation into the attacks, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages. The report also accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of bearing significant responsibility for a policy of providing money to maintain peace, rather than taking decisive action against Hamas. The attack led to a war that killed thousands in Gaza, mostly women and children, and the destruction of many buildings. Israeli intelligence services were criticized for failing to provide timely warnings or take action before the attacks occurred. Former defense minister Yoav Gallant was also criticized for reducing troop presence near Gaza and ignoring warning signs. Overall, the report concluded that failures in intelligence, decision-making, and preparedness were major contributors to the tragedy. Former military officers also revealed that warnings about suspicious activity by Hamas were ignored before the attacks. Calls for an official inquiry into the events have been made by various individuals and organizations.

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