Criticism of Israel

Intelligence service: massacre could have been prevented

Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the domestic intelligence service, this could have been prevented (archive image).

(Bild: AFP)

The Israeli domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet has admitted its own failure in relation to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The massacre could have been prevented. However, Israel's government also acted wrongly ...

Its policy had enabled the terrorist organization to massively arm itself. Millions of dollars had flowed into the Gaza Strip from Qatar and been transferred to the military wing of Hamas. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had approved these funds. Ronen Bar had "completely failed in everything to do with the organization's actions against Hamas in general and with 7 October in particular".

"We have failed"
In fact, he has already admitted mistakes. An internal investigation into the events had revealed that the secret service had behaved incorrectly both on the night of the attack and in the years leading up to it. "We failed," said Bar.

For example, intelligence information about Hamas attack plans had not been handled appropriately. The division of responsibility between Shin Bet and the army had not been clear enough. The intelligence service had relied too much on the barrier on the border to the Gaza Strip and the readiness of the military.

Army "too self-confident"
Last week, the Israeli army had presented a similar investigation report and attested to several miscalculations. It was said that the army was not sufficiently prepared for the attack and was "overconfident". Army chief Herzi Halevi took responsibility for the failure of the armed forces.

More than 1100 people were killed in the Hamas terror attack on Israel. Around 5400 others were injured and 250 people were kidnapped in the Gaza Strip. The attack was the largest mass murder of Jews since the Holocaust.