First Israeli military report on Hamas attack says army failed

The Israeli military on Thursday (11) published the conclusions of a first investigation into its security failures during the Hamas attack on the country on October 7. The authorities acknowledged that they failed to protect the citizens of one of the hardest-hit communities, Kibbutz Be’eri.

More than 100 people were killed in the attack on Be’eri, a community of about 1,000 people, and 32 were taken hostage in Gaza, of whom 11 are still being held.

The investigation examined the day’s chain of events, the fighting and the conduct of security forces, the military said. Some of the details have already been revealed by Reuters and other media outlets in the weeks since the attack.

While acknowledging its own failure to protect civilians in the area, the Israeli military saluted the bravery of Be’eri residents, including the rapid response team.

The Israeli military was unprepared for the scenario of a massive Hamas infiltration into Israel. It had inadequate forces in the area, did not have a clear picture of events until noon, a few hours after the attack began, did not adequately warn the Be’eri army residents, and their fighting was uncoordinated, the investigation concluded.

The investigation, however, found no flaws in tank fire on a house where militants were holding about 15 people hostage, an incident that drew criticism in Israel for putting civilians in danger.

“After gunshots were heard coming from the house and the terrorists announced their intention to kill themselves and the hostages, the forces decided to storm the house to save the hostages,” the military summary said.

“The team found that the civilians inside the house were not injured by the tank shells,” the report said. However, further investigation is needed to determine how the hostages died, with signs pointing to them having been killed by the gunmen.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Thursday (11) called for a government inquiry into security failures in the October 7 attack, which was Israel’s deadliest day and the worst attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

He said the inquiry should investigate Gallant himself and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu has rejected previous calls for a state inquiry.

The military presented its report to Be’eri residents, many of whom are among the tens of thousands of Israelis still displaced since the Oct. 7 attack that sparked Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza.

“I didn’t need all these details,” said Miri Gad Mesika, a kibbutz member.

“What matters to me is why what happened happened, how we can prevent it from happening again, how we can bring back our hostages and how we can feel safe again,” he added.